Avatar: The Final Conflict
by ladyhawk89
Summary: Amid the turmoil following the end of the Hundred Years War, the Gaang comes together to celebrate Zuko being crowned Fire Lord- but when a rebellion is sparked, they must team up once more to defeat the threat to the new and tenuous peace. Rated T for violence.
1. Chapter 1

_So, I got impatient to post this story. I haven't stopped writing _The Djinn Dilema, _but I need to make some decisions on where I want that to go. I have this problem where I know what I want the story to be and how I want it to end, but the middle parts give me trouble. I'm going to have the same problem with this story, but I have a better idea of what I want to happen in the middle- I've been planning this since the finale of _A:TLA_- I even did a retcon for this piece, so if you haven't read _A Word Between Friends, _please read it before you start this. It's really short and it develops some small- but important- points for this story. _

_**Chapter 1**_

Aang gazed at the thick white swirl of clouds ahead of him as he guided Appa through the mist. For a while, he had tried to find shapes in them, but as the hours had dragged on and the sun got lower in the sky, they all just started to look like the same purplish, pinkish, whitish smudge. From behind him, he heard Toph's irritated.

"How much longer is this going to take, Twinkle Toes?" she asked, miserably. Aang glanced back, feeling just as irritable as Toph, but his anger immediately cooled when he saw her huddled in a corner of Appa's saddle, clinging to the edge. For all her arrogant bravado, Toph had never been comfortable with flying, and she was more sensitive to the choppiness than their other travel companions.

'We'll be at the palace soon,"Aang assured Toph. "I'm sorry we couldn't wait for better weather, Toph, but if we had we might have missed it." His friend said nothing, but the cutting look in the direction of his voice spoke volumes. She was in no mood to be placated, so Aang left her alone. He took the chance to look around to see how the rest of his friends were.

Sokka and Suki were sitting across from Toph, unaware of anything around them as they discussed their wedding plans in whispers and hushed giggles. Katara had been helping to keep Toph calm earlier, but she had fallen asleep. She was fighting off the last of a cold that had kept them from starting on their trip when they had planned, a week and a half ago. Aang's eyes lingered on her regretfully for a moment before he shook his head and faced the swirling mass of clouds once again.

About twenty minutes later, the clouds parted and Aang could see in the distance the peaks that surrounded the Fire Nation's capital city. With a sigh of relief, he guided Appa towards the massive volcanic crater that housed the city.

"Are we going down?" Toph asked. Sokka and Suki looked around them in surprise.

"We aren't there already, are we?" Suki asked. Toph snorted derisively.

"What do you mean _already_?" she retorted scathingly. She tightened grip on the saddle as Appa dipped lower in the sky. "Take it easy, Twinkle Toes!"

"Sorry, Toph," Aang said, glancing back. "We're almost there. We'll be landing in a few minutes.

"Good! The sooner I'm on solid ground, the better for everyone involved." Sokka moved closer to Toph, with a mischievous gleam in his eye.

"Well, if you're in such a rush to get to the ground, Toph, I'll help," he said, and putting his hands on her shoulders, he lightly pushed her closer to the edge of the saddle. With a shriek of fright, Toph turned and punched Sokka soundly on the chin.

"Ah!" Sokka cried, grasping at his face. "That hurt!"

"And you deserved it," Suki chided, punching her fiancé in his arm. "Why would you do that?"

"It was a joke!" Sokka insisted, alternating between rubbing his jaw and his arm.

"I hope it was worth it," Toph said darkly. "Because soon we're going to land, and I _will_ make you pay for that."

"C'mon, Toph," Sokka pleaded. "I was kidding! I wasn't _actually_ going to throw you off."

"And I'm not _actually_ going to kill you."

"Wha's going on?" Katara ask groggily. "Did I fall asleep?"

"Oh, great! Sugar Queen's _finally_ back among the living," Toph said, sarcastically, once more clutching at the saddle.

"Where are we?" Katara asked, trying confusedly to focus on the swirling clouds. She wasn't quite fully awake yet, and she was looking around as if she wasn't sure where she was supposed to be just then. Katara looked over and stared blankly at Toph for a few moments, before she remembered she had been trying to comfort the younger girl before she fell asleep.

"Oh! Toph, I'm sorry!" she said, scrambling into a sitting position. "I didn't even realize I was falling asleep. We were talking about you parents, right? What were you saying?"  
"Forget about it, Katara," Toph said, exasperated. She pointed off into the distance. "Aang say's we're almost there." For the first time Katara could see the Fire Nation palace lying ahead of them. Appa tilted downwards and began a slow decent into the large courtyard where Katara could see Zuko and Iroh were already waiting for them.

"Oh!" Toph groaned. Katara slipped her hand into Toph's without looking at her. Toph made no acknowledgement of it except to squeeze it gratefully as the decent got sharper. It felt to the blind earth bender to take hours, but it was really took only a couple of minutes for the flying bison to land gracefully on the ground. Toph scrambled desperately out of the saddle and slid down Appa's leg to the ground.

"Land!" she cried gratefully. She bent the earth around her feet slightly so her could sink into the ground. "I'm never leaving you again! I'll _walk_ back to Gaoling, thank you!" Iroh and Zuko walked over to help the others down, and the old general chuckled at Toph.

"Why don't I make you a nice pot of tea," he suggested. He went over to her and held out his arm for her. "It'll calm you down." Toph rolled her eyes- of _ course _Iroh would suggest tea- but reached out for his arm, releasing her feet from the earth.

"Nothing calms me down like playing in mud," Toph said. "But what the hey? I've missed your tea."

"Thank you for your compliment!" Iroh said, smiling proudly. He looked around at the others climbing out of the sky bison's saddle. "We were expecting you sooner. I hope your trip was safe."

"The trip was fine," Sokka told him. "We just had to leave later because Katara's been sick." Zuko and Iroh looked at the water bender, immediately concerned, and suddenly noticed how tired she looked.

"Are you ok?" Zuko asked, going over to give her his arm. "We can have the palace physician see you."

"I'll have you taken to your room right away," Iroh said. "You need your rest."

"No, no," Katara said waving off their concern, but taking Zuko's arm gratefully. "I'm fine, really. The worst of it is over. I look worse than I actually feel." Toph snorted at that, and Katara glared at her half-heartedly. She knew her friend was still a little upset with her for falling asleep.

"Well, we should get you inside anyway," Iroh said. "We don't want you unwell tomorrow. It's a special day. I'm sure my nephew is glad that all of his friends are here to see him officially crowned Fire Lord." Zuko shifted uncomfortably and mumbled his agreement and thanks.

"We wouldn't miss someone _crowning _ Prince Jerk bender," Sokka said, slapping Zuko on the back and chuckling at his lame joke.

"Not funny," Katara said, groaning. Aang climbed down from Appa last of all. He bowed to Iroh and Zuko respectfully. Momo leapt down next to him and mimicked his bow.

"Good to see you, Iroh. Sifu Hotman." Zuko rolled his eyes skyward.

"Stop calling me that."

"Don't mind them," Suki said, linking her arm through her fiancé' s. "They're just glad not to be out numbered anymore."

"Hey, we're all glad," Katara said. "This is the first time we've been all together in months! We have so much catching up to do! We have to have a reunion party, before we have to deal with all those stuffy nobles at the actual ceremony."

"Yeah!" Aang agreed excitedly. "There's a great little noodle shop in town. We can order food from them and I know the kitchen staff here makes great fruit tarts."

"It'll be just like old times!" Sokka declared. "Except, you know, without being on the run from Fire Nation soldiers or your crazy father."

"Sokka!" Katara chided her brother. She looked up at Zuko concernedly. His face darkened, but he just shrugged it off.

"That sounds like fun," he said. "I'll send someone for the noodles and ask the kitchen staff to prepare the tarts." A short, uncomfortable silence settled over the group, broken only when Katara sneezed.

"Didn't someone mention something about going inside?" Suki asked, looking at Katara meaningfully.

"Ah yes!" Iroh said. "Let's go in. Aang, I'll have the stable attendants take Appa to his new home for the next few weeks. I think he'll be very comfortable."

Iroh lead the group into his private sitting room and prepared tea for them, but he was called away to greet an arriving diplomat, leaving the young people to catch up. There were a lot of stories to be told. They had all been separated for a long time. Aang had spent the three years since the end of the war meeting with the various diplomatic powers helping to sort the details of the new and tenuous peace. He had found, to his dismay, that his youth had made it difficult for him to be taken seriously at times, but he was determined to give his all to his duties as Avatar. There were parts of his story that he left out. About the many people who thought him a fool for not outright killing the ousted Fire Lord. Being denied shelter in some towns who had an intense distrust of the Fire Nation and of anyone who would suggest that they were no longer the enemy. How deeply he still cared for Katara and how lonely he was without his traveling companions.

"I've missed having all of you traveling with me," was all he would admit. "Appa's great, but he's not nearly as funny as Sokka." Katara let out a bark of derisive laughter.

"I miss it, too," Toph said, shaking her head. "Home is just so…boring after all we've been through. I'm thinking about joining the army."

"They'll let you?" Sokka asked. "But you're so young. How old are you now? Eleven? Twelve?"

"_Fourteen_," Toph said, irritably. "Going on fifteen. I'm like two month's older than Twinkle Toes. Well, technically. Anyway, the actual age for enlisting in the Earth Kingdom army is sixteen, but King Kuei is willing to make an exception for me because of my 'extensive battle experience'. Basically I get to join a whole year early because I'm awesome."

"Good for you, Toph!" Katara said, pouring herself another cup of tea. "Meanwhile here I am closing in on seventeen, and what have I got to show for it?" She sighed melodramatically and threw her arm across her face in exaggerated despair. "You're joining the army. Aang's out saving the world one village at a time. My brother's getting married to a Kyoshi general and will be going on to bring the Southern Tribe into modern times, and Zuko is about to be the leader of the Fire Nation."

"Oh, please," Sokka snorted. He looked around at his friends and without sympathy told them what Katara left out. "My sister's been in the Northern Water Tribe for the last year training with Master Pakku. Katara, he's totally training you to take over for him as the Master of the school." Katara made a face at her brother.

"I have no idea _what_ Master Pakku is doing," Katara complained. "He's been practically _torturing _me with lessons with the other students _and_ before and after class."

"I'm telling you. He's training you to take over for him," Sokka insisted. "There's a rumor going around the Southern Tribe that he's been chosen to be the Ambassador for the Water Tribes. Someone's got to take over after him."

"I don't think that's it," Katara said shaking her head. "There's still a _lot_ of misogynistic views in the Northern Tribe. I'm _still_ the only girl Master Pakku has ever taught. I don't think they would feel too kindly to their sons being taught by one. "

"Hey," Toph said. "If I, a blind small blind girl, can join the army and become a general by the time I'm twenty- and I will- _you _can make a bunch of know nothing, water pushing, whiney little boys respect you as their teacher."

"If you need, I'll take time out of my busy schedule and light a fire under their disrespectful behinds," Zuko offered. Katara grinned at her friends.

"Thanks, you guys," she said. "But I don't know if I would want the job even if he offered. I don't know if I would like teaching."

"Why not?" Aang asked. "You taught me. You're a great teacher."

"Yeah, you were _one_ student," Katara pointed out. "And a friend. I'd never mind helping a friend with anything. But I would wind up dunking a bunch of idiots who think being boys makes them better than me somehow. Anyway he _hasn't _offered, or mentioned leaving at all."

"Would you really turn it down if he _did_ offer?"Suki asked. Katara shrugged and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I don't know," she said. "I guess I _could_ see myself teaching when I'm older, but right now…I don't know. I'm not ready give my life to it. I want…something else. I don't know what yet, but I know it isn't teaching. But we're not here to talk about my lack of direction in life." She looked towards Zuko and the rest of their friends followed her gaze.

"She's right, Sparky," Toph said, grinning at the prince. "Or should I say, Fire Lord Sparky?"

"Stop it," Zuko said, looking away from his friends, embarrassed. "I'm not Fire Lord yet, and I'm not really sure I'm ready to hear myself call that."

"You'd better get ready," Sokka said. "Once they put that crown on you, that's all you'll hear for the next few decades."

"We're all real proud of you, Zuko," Aang told him, grabbing the last fruit tart. "You're going to be a great Fire Lord." Zuko resisted the urge to roll his eyes and mumbled some unintelligible words of thanks. Katara caught his eye and raised a brow questioningly. Zuko shook his head slightly. Katara said nothing, but Zuko knew better than to think she was going to leave it alone entirely. At any rate, she understood him well enough to know he didn't want to discuss his impending coronation and so she decided to change the subject to something less uncomfortable for Zuko.

"So," she said, with a sly grin. "How are things with Mai?" Zuko glared at Katara murderously as everyone's curiosity shifted to his love life.

_Why did I want them here so badly?_ Zuko wondered as his friends had a hearty laugh at his expense.

They stayed in the study late into the night and ordered in the noodles as they had planned. They reminisced about their adventures together, and even laughed at the days when Zuko had hunted them obsessively. In the back of their minds, they knew that things were about to change, but not now. Things could be the way they used to be, if only for the night.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The night air was unusually crisp for the Fire Nation, but Katara found it more comfortable than the usual mugginess. She leaned over the balcony railing and took a deep breath of the jasmine and fire lily scented air, relishing in the peace and quiet.

"Nice night." Katara didn't move as Zuko joined her, leaning on the railing beside her.

"This is one thing we don't have in the Water Tribe," Katara said, taking another deep breath. "It always smells like ice and fish."

"And sea prunes," Zuko added with a shudder, recalling his first and _last_ experience with the Water Tribe delicacy. Katara sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes at her friend.

"Wimp," she chided. The pair stood in silence for a long while, and watched the fireflies in the garden below lighting up the darkness.

"We don't have those either," Katara whispered after a while, enthralled by the dancing pin points of light. Zuko grunted his agreement and shivered slightly in the cool breeze. He suddenly remembered that Katara had been ill recently.

"Should you be out here while you're sick?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," Katara said, waving her hand carelessly. "I think that nap I took on the way here knocked out the last of it."

"That's good," Zuko said, turning back to the gardens below. He looked at Katara from the side of his eyes.

"So," he said casually, scratching his hand. "You want to talk about what's bothering you?" Katara turned and scowled at him, annoyed.

"If you go first," she retorted. Zuko shrugged.

"I think it's obvious," he said. "I'm about to take over leading a country full of people who hate me, and nobles who want to see if they can manipulate me into doing what they want. I don't know if I'm ready. I've got some big shoes to fill. Uncle has done so much good in just a couple of years, and I don't know if I'll measure up."

Katara nodded silently. She understood his fear. She was afraid _for_ him. As isolated as the Water Tribes could be, she heard things. She knew about the unrest brewing around the world, and about the criticism the future Fire Lord was facing. She even knew there had been a few attempts on his life. Zuko had every right to be scared, but…

"You're going to be an amazing Fire Lord," she said confidently. "I know what you're up against, but I also know what you've already faced down. People may try to test you for a while, but you'll either win them over or put them in their place. Besides, you have us behind you. What can a bunch of petty, prissy nobles really do to you?"

Zuko chuckled briefly at her bravado, but it didn't comfort him much. He would be on his own soon. He believed what Katara said about her and the rest of their friends supporting him, but Zuko knew they would be apart most of the time. It had been nearly a year since he had seen them all together, and not for a lack of their wanting to get together. They all had separate lives that took priority over coming to the comfort of the insecure prince. Even Uncle wouldn't be around forever. He would be there long enough to see Zuko settled- however long that took- but then he had plans for a tea shop in Ba Sing Se. Zuko would be on his own then. A few years ago, he could have pretended that it didn't matter, but now he knew how lonely he would be.

"Zuko?" Katara looked up at her friend questioningly. Zuko hadn't realized how long he had been lost in his thoughts.

"Sorry," he mumbled, looking back over the garden.

"What were you thinking?" Katara asked him. For a split second, Zuko considered not telling her, but he knew that would be futile. She would get it out of him eventually. It was just easier to tell her up front.

"I was thinking about how alone I'm going to be soon," he admitted, and explained his musings on where life would take them.

"That's true," Katara said. "We'll all be in separate places, but you won't be alone. We're only a bison ride away if you need us. You know that."

"Yeah, I do," Zuko agreed. "But it won't be the same."

"You'll have Mai," Katara reminded him.

"_Right_," Zuko said sarcastically. Katara frowned. He had evaded her question about how things were between him and Mai when she brought it up earlier, and it had aroused her immediate suspicion, but Zuko was still in many ways a very private person, so she hadn't pressed. Now, however, her suspicion was raised again.

"You want to talk about it?" she asked.

"No," Zuko replied shortly. "Besides, I came out here to see what was wrong with _you_." He turned to Katara and folded his arms. "You know for someone who has such a knack of getting other people to open up, you're pretty sneaky about talking about _your _feelings."

"It's not my fault that people like talking to me," Katara said, sniffing haughtily. "I just have that gift."

"You're really not going to tell me?" Zuko raised his eyebrow. Katara smirked at him. He liked to pull rank in their friendship occasionally.

"I told you earlier," she said. "Remember? I feel like everyone is moving forward with their lives, but I don't know what to do with mine."

"Have you thought about setting up as a healer?" Zuko suggested. "I can't think of any place that wouldn't want someone with your talent. You could probably wind up running a hospital in a few years."

"Hmm," Katara said thoughtfully. She brought her hand up and rested her chin against it. "I never thought of that. It would be nice to do something useful."

"It's still not what you want to do, though, is it?" Zuko guessed. Katara shrugged helplessly.

"I've never considered it," she said. "I don't know, it just seems so small after everything. I want to do something that's going to change the world."

"What? Once wasn't enough?" Zuko snorted. "You've got a bit of a hero complex, haven't you?" Katara looked away and blushed.

"Don't say it like that!" Zuko smirked at her and nudged her arm.

"I don't know," he said. "I think I should warn Aang that you want his job." Katara threw her hands up in exasperation and headed back inside.

"Okay, I'm done talking to you!" she said, turning back to make a face at Zuko. He grinned and waved at her.

"Good night, Avatar Katara." Katara left in an indignant huff, leaving Zuko laughing at her as she went.

-:-:-:-:-

Iroh poured another cup of tea for himself and offered some to Pakku. The elderly water bender shook his head and politely declined.

"I've had quite enough, thank you," he said. "Does she know I'm here?"

"I didn't tell anyone I was expecting you," Iroh assured him. "Although I don't know why you don't want her to know. After all, this _is _her future." Pakku sighed and sat back in his seat.

"I realize that," he said, suddenly feeling drained. "But I didn't want to offer this to her until I was certain it would be there." Iroh stroked his beard thoughtfully and set his tea cup down.

"This is a great opportunity for Katara," he said. "I would never stand in her way, and I'm sure Zuko will support her, when the time comes."

"The time is now," Pakku reminded him. He closed his eyes wearily. "All this governing and politics business- it's a game for the young. Old men like you and I are getting pushed aside, and I'm not complaining, but I wish I could have prepared her more."

"I'm sure you've done your best," Iroh said confidently. "Katara is one of the finest water benders it has ever been my pleasure to encounter. And I've seen you in action."

"Katara is my best student." Pakku smiled proudly. "I've never had anyone catch on so quickly. She's creative and she has a stubbornness about her that I rarely see in water benders. She won't allow herself to do anything but succeed. It has served her well, and I'm sure it will continue to serve her well as she continues to grow into her abilities. However, her abilities as a bender are not what I'm worried about. She is young. There are some who won't like this."

"Yes," Iroh agreed. "But as you said, this is a young person's game. The Council and the leaders of the Water Tribes may have some objections to it at first, but Katara has proven herself not only a skilled warrior, but a stirring leader. As a diplomat, admittedly she has some learning to do, but she's still more qualified for this than just about anyone."

"Do you really think this will work?" Pakku asked, opening his eyes to look at Iroh.

"Do _you_ really think Katara can handle this?" Iroh countered, taking another sip of tea. Pakku didn't answer him for a long time. Then a smile slowly spread across his face.

"I think Katara could bring nations to their knees if she set her mind to it," Pakku said. "But don't let her know I said that. I have a reputation to uphold."

"It seems we have our decision, then," Iroh said with a grin. He reached over and shook Pakku's hand firmly. "Now, how about a nice game of Pai Sho?"

-:-:-:-:-:-


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

It was late in the morning before everyone had gotten up, but breakfast awaited the still sleepy group of teenagers when they got to Iroh's informal dining room. To their immense surprise, Master Pakku was there as well, reading the morning paper while Iroh busied himself with spreading jam on a tea cake.

"Well!" Iroh said cheerfully. "I was wondering if we'd ever see you this morning."

"Oh, please," Pakku said, nonchalantly turning a page. "You just got here barely ten minutes ago." Iroh ignored his friend and cheerfully urged the group to join them, motioning to the enormous spread on the table.

"Everything is still nice and hot," he told them. "Eat up." They all sat down.

"Master Pakku," Katara greeted her mentor. "I'm surprised to see you here. What brings you to the Fire Nation?" Pakku set his paper aside and looked at Katara gravely.

"I'm here to see you," he said simply. "Eat your breakfast. We will talk later." He picked the newspaper back up, hiding his face from view. Sokka leaned over and elbowed his sister in the ribs.

"This is it!" he whispered. Suki smiled at her excitedly from the other side of Sokka. Katara frowned at him. Across from her Aang looked from Katara to Pakku curiously, but didn't say anything. Toph wasn't reacting at all. Zuko, strangely wasn't looking at either Katara or Pakku. His suspicious gaze was fixed steadily on his Uncle who was prattling cheerfully about something. Katara was too nervous to pay much attention. Pakku didn't just leave the Northern Tribe for no reason. Something was going on. Katara was suddenly struck by how much she _really_ didn't want to teach. Her breakfast went largely untouched. She couldn't stomach more than a few sips of tea.

Pakku looked at Katara a few times over the paper. At last he laid his paper aside and stood. Iroh stood as well, and to Katara's surprise, he motioned to his nephew as well.

"Come on, Zuko," he said. "We need you, as well."

"What?" Zuko asked intelligently with bits of sausage still in his mouth. He and Katara looked at each other and then at their friends, mystified.

"Today would be nice," Master Pakku said, smoothly. Katara stood up and followed him and Iroh out of the room with Zuko close behind her.

"Do you know what's going on?" she asked him quietly. Zuko kept his eye on the backs of the older men and shook his head.

"Uncle never mentioned anything to me."

Iroh lead the way into his sitting room. Zuko noted that with some relief. If anything were seriously wrong, he would be doing this in his office. He seemed to be purposely trying to make them feel comfortable. Iroh and Pakku settled into the two easy chairs and Zuko sat beside Katara on the sofa.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here," Pakku said stroking his beard. Katara said nothing. She looked from Pakku to Iroh expectantly.

"It is a bit of a surprise to see you," Zuko answered him.

"Katara, I have done my best to teach you everything I know about water bending," Pakku told her. "I believe I have done that. You are a model student. The best I ever taught, in fact. But I have also been keeping an eye on you in other ways and I have found you to be a natural leader. I believe you are the right choice."

"Right choice for _what_?" she demanded, losing patience. Master Pakku raised his eyebrow at her, and gave her the look he gave to students who were out of line. Katara felt something like panic welling in her stomach and she was glad she hadn't eaten much at breakfast. Zuko noticed her shoulders tensing and he gave her a slight, comforting nudge in the arm. Katara glance at him gratefully and took a deep breath. "Look, Master Pakku, I think I know where you're heading. And I appreciate it, I really do, but…I can't…I can't teach waterbending."

"Teach…?" Now Master Pakku looked surprised. He laughed outright at the suggestion. "I was not offering you a teaching position. You couldn't cut it as a teacher. You're too impatient with the other students. I don't think Tanraq has quite recovered from you freezing him to the ceiling." Zuko snickered at that and Iroh hid his grin behind his hand. Katara looked at them irritably, and then looked back at Pakku pleadingly.

"What's going on, Master Pakku?" she asked. "If you're not asking me to teach, what _are_ you offering me?"

"The Water Tribes need an ambassador," Pakku explained simply. "I nominated you.'

"_Me?_" Katara asked incredulously. Her jaw went slack in shock. "You…you want _me _to be the ambassador? But I thought _you_…I mean, I had heard that…" Katara trailed off. In her utter amazement, she couldn't think of what to say. The older men turned to Zuko next.

"Zuko this involves you, too," Iroh explained. "As the next Fire Lord, the ambassadors will be working closely with you. Katara's age and the fact that she's from the Water Tribe will make her more of a target than most of the ambassadors and she will need you in her corner." Katara looked around at the three men. With her eyes opened so wide, she looked a lot like a startled deer-cat. Her eyes finally settled on Zuko. She looked at him uncertainly. Zuko met her eyes resolutely.

"Of course I'll support you as ambassador," he said. "If you want the job, it's yours."

"_Do _ you want the job?" Pakku asked. He and Iroh leaned forward in their seats anxiously. Finally Katara found her voice again.

"What would I be doing as ambassador?" she asked.

"You will represent the Water Tribe interest in the Fire Nation," Pakku explained. "You'll have a voice in some foreign policy decisions of the three nations. There will be another ambassador in the Earth Kingdom, but a suitable representative is crucial here in the Fire Nation. Much of the Water Tribes still has a deep seeded mistrust of the Fire Nation. Your experience with the Avatar as well as your friendship with Prince Zuko make you more qualified than most to represent us. If you'll take the job that is."

"You will have to live in the Fire Nation, at least part of the year. You and the other ambassadors will be provided with a place to live, of course," Iroh added. Katara looked from Iroh to Pakku dazedly.

"Why me?" Katara asked. "Why not Aang? Or Sokka? Or my father?"

"Aang is the Avatar," Iroh said. "He cannot represent any one nation or tribe. His duty is to all. As for your father or your brother, they are both heavily involved in Water Tribe politics."

"Sokka will be the chief of the Southern Tribe someday," Pakku continued. "He can't devote the time to this position."

"That leaves you," Iroh said. "An excellent choice, though I admit I was surprised when Master Pakku made it." Katara looked down at the ground. They were all waiting on her decision. Katara hated feeling so pressured give an immediate answer. Her first instinct was to ask for time to think. She wanted to ask her friends what they thought. She wanted to talk to her father and to her gran-gran. But, she reflected, it would suit her much better than teaching, or even healing. She would be in a position to make a difference in the entire world, not just a small town, or even just one nation. Katara looked up at Pakku intensely.

"Do you really think I can handle it?" she asked him. Pakku looked at her, as if sizing her up, before he answered.

"I wouldn't have suggested you if I didn't think you could do it," he told her plainly. "You will have to work on controlling your temper. You can't go freezing people to things because they annoy you." Zuko had to bite his cheek to keep from laughing at that. "There will be some who will oppose putting you in this position. You'll have to prove them wrong, and not by physically fighting them. But I'm confident that you will be an excellent ambassador." Katara felt her cheeks heating up. Master Pakku didn't hand out many compliments. If he said he believed Katara could do it, then she knew he meant it. The question was did _she_ believe she could do it.

Only one way to find out, Katara thought. She straightened up and met Pakku and Iroh's gazes levelly.

"I would be honored to be the ambassador for the Water Tribe," she told them.

-:-:-:-:-:-

"You're going to be the _what_?" Sokka stared at his sister, mouth agape at the news.

"I'm the new Water Tribe ambassador," Katara repeated slowly. She was trying to sound nonchalant, but her heart felt like it was about to beat right out of her chest.

"That's fantastic!" Suki congratulated her, throwing an arm around her shoulder. "When do you start?"

"She'll be officially named at the state dinner tonight," Zuko told them. He stood with his arms folded and a proud smirk on his face.

"Oh great," Toph said, rolling her eyes playfully. "Someone actually put Sugar Queen in a position of power. You sure that was a good idea, Sparky?" Zuko groaned and put his hand on his face.

"You're right, Toph," Zuko said, shaking his head. "I didn't even think of that. Everyone will think _Katara's_ the Fire Lady and _I'm _ the ambassador."

"_Excuse _me," Katara said, annoyed. "Are you saying I'm bossy?" Zuko, Toph and Sokka exchanged amused glances. Katara glared at them and turned to Aang and Suki. "I'm not bossy. Tell them I'm not bossy!" Suki looked away from her immediately, suddenly engrossed with the view out of the window.

"Hey, I can see Appa from here!" she said, leaning against the glass pane.

"I'm sure they mean it as a compliment," Aang said, holding his hands up, trying to placate his friend . "They're saying you could run a country." Katara favored him with a dead pan gaze.

"So you're saying I'm bossy, too?" Aang back tracked immediately.

"No! I-I'm not saying that at all," he said quickly. "I just meant that-"

"Man up, Aang," Toph cut him off exasperatedly. "Katara, you're the bossiest girl I've ever met in my life, and that means something coming from me. The way you try to micromanage everyone's life is annoying. Butit'll make you a _great_ political leader."

"Yeah," Sokka agreed. "So take it as a compliment and-"

"And completely ignore the part that's an insult to me?" Katara retorted sarcastically. She turned towards Zuko with the full force of her irritation. "You're supposed to be on my side! I'm haven't even been officially _named_ ambassador yet, and already you don't have my back. I'm going to tell Iroh and Pakku that they can give the job to someone else. I don't need this abuse!"

"Oh, come on, Katara," Zuko said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We don't mean anything by it."

"And it'd be stupid to give up such a great job because you're in a mood," Sokka added. Katara glared at her brother and shrugged off Zuko's hand.

"You're one to talk about moods, Mr. _I'm still emotionally scarred by the loss of my space sword_," Katara retorted. "I found him crying over a sketch he drew of it."

"Stop kidding, Katara," Sokka said, hastily . "They might think you're serious."

"What makes you think I'm joking?" Katara folded her arms and smirked at him. "Suki, I think you should know that your fiancé is a gigantic man-child."

"Oh, trust me, I'm wellaware," Suki said, turning away from the window. She sighed sadly and shook her head. "He'll never love me like that sword."

"That isn't funny," Sokka grumbled, crossing his arms petulantly.

"It's a _little_ funny," Toph said, laughing.

"Katara!" Sokka whined. Katara glared at her brother for a moment before she relented.

"Alright, fine, he wasn't exactly _crying_," Katara said. "He just _wanted _to. But seriously, I'm _not_ that bossy, so take it back. Right now."

"Do you even realize the irony of what you just said?" Zuko asked. There was a knock at the door just as Katara was about to retort. A palace servant opened the door and bowed politely.

"Announcing Miss Mai to see you, your highness," he said. The young woman walked in as the servant bowed out. Zuko went over to embrace her, even as he sighed with some exasperation.

"You don't need to have them announce you whenever you come," he told Mai, giving her a peck on the cheek. Behind him, his friends snickered at him behind their hands, but he ignored them. "You're here enough to come in and not bother with having people announce your arrival."

"But where's the fun in that?" Mai asked, draping her arms around Zuko's neck.

"Oh, I see how it is," Toph said, putting her hands on her hips. "You've only got eyes for Zuko, and you can't spare a glance for us, right? Looks like Sokka and Suki have some competition for most gag worthy couple."

"Toph, don't be mean!" Katara admonished playfully. "Clearly they haven't seen each other in a while. What's it been guys? A day? Two?" Their joking banter got some giggles from the Gaang, but Mai frowned at them. She looked up at Zuko to see if he was as offended as she was, but despite the fact that he was flushing and staring stonily at them, Mai could see he was fighting back a smile himself.

"You can leave now," he said. "All of you!"

"Hey what did _I_ do?" Aang asked indignantly.

"We didn't say anything either," Suki said, linking her arm through Sokka's. "Besides, you'll never be as cute a couple as we are."

Mai could see the group devolving into a friendly bickering session. She stepped around Zuko and greeted everyone politely.

"It's good to see you all again," she said without much conviction. She looked around and fixed on the most familiar face before her. "Avatar Aang, I heard about the uprising you stopped in the Gai Sho district in the Earth Kingdom. I'm glad to see you're safe."

"Thanks, Mai." Aang blushed and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "You can just call me Aang. None of my friends call me Avatar."

"I see," Mai said. An uncomfortable silence settled over the room. Mai fought the urge to shift on her feet. Zuko came to her rescue when no one else could think of anything to say.

"We were just celebrating," Zuko told Mai. She looked up curiously. "Katara's going to be named the Water Tribe ambassador to the Fire Kingdom. Pretty great right?"

"Oh?" Mai asked, genuinely surprised. She looked over at the pretty water bender and frowned. "Aren't you a bit young, though? I mean not that I doubt that you'd be great at it, it's just the other ambassadors are at least in their thirties."

"Well, I guess it's a little…odd," Katara said, doubtfully. "But it's a relatively new idea. And Master Pakku and Iroh think it's a good idea."

"General Iroh is supporting you?" Mai asked, her eyebrows lifted to her hair line.

"Supporting her?" Sokka laughed. "He practically begged her!" Katara looked like she wanted to hit her brother.

"Sokka, that's _not_ what…."

"Katara can handle it," Aang said. "We were just saying Katara could probably be Fire Lady if she wanted." Mai's eyes widened briefly, before becoming flinty cold in anger. Aang, realizing his mistake, found himself backtracking for the second time in less than twenty minutes. "That's not to say that….I mean…we were just saying that she could rule a country because she's so bossy...No! Not what I meant!"

"Can't take it back now, Aang! I _told_ you, you're bossy, Sugar Queen." Toph burst into outright laughter at Aang. Whether she was trying to diffuse the tension, or whether she just didn't care that everyone else was uncomfortable, no one could tell. Mai frowned at the group and linked her arm through Zuko's.

"We're supposed to have lunch together," she reminded him, tugging at his arm. "Let's get going or I won't have time to get ready for tonight."

"Uh…right," Zuko said. He looked at his friends apologetically as Mai led them out of the room. "I almost forgot. I'll see you guys later."

-:-:-:-:-:-

Mai pulled Zuko towards the garden so quickly that the prince stumbled over his feet a few times. He finally pulled his arm loose to steady himself.

"Something wrong, Mai?" he asked. Mai didn't say anything at first. She shrugged and continued walking to the turtle-duck pond. Zuko followed her. He was frustrated with her silence, but he didn't want to escalate to an outright argument.

"I'll have lunch brought to us," Zuko said, signaling for a servant to go get the lunch that the palace chef had already prepared.

"What are we having?" Mai asked him.

"Cold sesame noodles with wild goat-boar." Mai snorted with disgust and turned away from Zuko.

"You didn't put _any_ effort into this date, did you?" she accused.

"What are you talking about?" Zuko demanded. "It's lunch. I thought it be better to have something light since there's banquet tonight. What's wrong with noodles?"

"_Nothing_!" Mai snapped. She stared sulkily out over the pond, waiting, Zuko was sure, for an apology. He crossed his arms and looked out over the pond just as stubbornly. For a long time, all that could be heard was the chirping of the cicadas and the buzzing of honey bees nearby.

"I'm sorry." Mai had spoken so quietly that Zuko almost didn't hear it. One look at her face told him not to expect it repeated, though.

"What's wrong?" he asked, gently. "I know it's not just the noodles."

"I don't know, Zuko," Mai said, with a frustrated sigh. "I just…I don't feel like you're really here. I haven't seen you all week. Did you really forget that we were having lunch today?"

"Kind of," Zuko admitted, sheepishly. "I ordered lunch yesterday, but I forgot to have it set up today. With the guys here and Uncle and Master Pakku announcing that Katara's going to be an ambassador…"

"You didn't know she was being named ambassador?" Mai asked skeptically.

"I was as surprised as she was." Zuko shook his head bemusedly. "They told me when they told her."

"Well why _her_?" Mai asked. "I mean, she can't possibly have done anything like this before. She's a nobody from the _Southern _Tribe. Isn't there someone more… _experience_?"

"She's got plenty of experience," Zuko said, feeling a bit exasperated with Mai. "She has more _life_ experience than any other possible candidate. _And_ she's the daughter of the Southern Tribe's chief. She's the closest thing _either_ tribe has to a princess." Mai snorted derisively.

"Isn't this the same girl you once called a worthless peasant?" she asked. Zuko looked at her sharply.

"I'm not proud of a lot of things I said and did before," he said. "I didn't _know_ Katara then. I didn't know _any_ of them then."

"And you know them just so well now, right?" Zuko was about to respond, but several servants walked into the garden then, laden with food, drinks, and utensils. They placed them on the garden table and bowed to the couple respectfully.

"That'll be all," Mai said shortly.

"_Thank_ _you_," Zuko added, looking at Mai pointedly. She pretended not to notice and sat down at the table. Zuko joined her, but neither was in a mood to enjoy one the other's company.

"Why do you have always start fights with me?" Zuko asked. Mai 's eyes snapped up to him, a light with fury.

"_Me!"_ she hissed. "_You're_ the one who put me aside for your _friends._"

"I _didn't _ put you aside for my friends. I'm sorry I forgot about lunch, _momentarily, _but I haven't seen my friends in months. It's kind of a big deal to me that they're all here for once. It's not like you weren't allowed to come last night. I told you they'd be arriving and that we were going to hang out before the ceremonies. You _could_ have had dinner with us. And you could have been a _bit_ more polite today."

"As polite as the earth bender and the Water Tribe girl were to me?" Mai sneered.

"_Toph_ and _Katara _were just teasing us," Zuko retorted. "It wouldn't kill you to learn how to take a joke every now and then."

"I didn't think it was funny. _I'm_ not used to peasants insulting me."

"You do realize that Toph is from the most influential family in Gaoling and Katara is one of the most skilled water benders in the world. And they are both my _friends_." Zuko rose from his seat and glared at Mai. She was unmoved. She got out of her seat and met his fiery glare with one of her own.

"And how do you think it looks for the Fire Lord elect to be so close to such _low_ people?" Zuko's face fell from anger to shock.

"Do you hear yourself?" he asked Mai. "You sound like a complete snob!" Mai reeled back as if she had been slapped. Zuko stood with his fist clenched at his sides and his breath coming out in heaves. So much for not arguing today, he thought.

"I just want what's best for you," Mai said softly. She bit her lower lip and looked away from Zuko. "Look, maybe this was a bad idea today. I know you're tense with your coronation week about to start. I'm sorry I insulted your friends."

"I'm sorry, too," Zuko said. "I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"Why don't we forget lunch today?" Mai suggested. "We'll see each other at the banquet. We can plan something else for after your coronation. After your friends are gone."

'Fine," Zuko agreed. Mai took hold of his arm again and they went back towards the palace.

"When _is_ Kitar-"

"Katara."

"Sorry. When is _Katara_ being officially named ambassador?" Mai asked. Zuko frowned in confusion.

"Tonight. Why do you ask?"

"Well," Mai said hesitantly. "I was thinking, _maybe_ it would be a better idea to hold off officially naming her. It's so sudden and she _is_ very young."

"Mai, she's only about two years younger than me, and I'm about to lead a _country_. I think she'll be fine."

"Okay, " Mai conceded. "Okay. I won't bother you about it again."

"Thank you," Zuko muttered, rolling his eyes. He escorted her to the front of the palace where her coach was still waiting. Mai turned to give Zuko a peck on the cheek.

"I'll see you tonight," she promised. Zuko nodded with a terse smile and watched as a footman helped her into the carriage. The driver waited until the door was closed before he cracked his whip at the ostrich-horses. When the carriage disappeared through the gates, he breathed a sigh of relief.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

Sokka was the only one left when Zuko went back into his uncle's study. Sokka was sitting on the window seat, and was busy running a whetstone across the blade of his boomerang.

"Where's everybody?" Zuko asked curiously. Sokka looked up at him, noticing him for the first time.

"Oh, hey, Zuko," he said, setting his weapon aside. "That was a quick lunch. You were barely an hour." Zuko gave him a half shrug and sat on the other end of the window seat.

"We changed our minds," he said. "We'll see each other at the banquet." Sokka frowned and rubbed the small patch of hair growing on chin.

"Won't you be busy with dignitaries and nobles and boring people like that?" he asked. "That's not a real date." Zuko shrugged and sat down.

"I don't know," he said, running a hand through his messy black hair. "It works for us. I guess. Where did everyone else go?"

"Shopping," Sokka said making a face. "Katara and Suki insisted that Katara needed something nicer to wear since she's being named the Ambassador tonight, and Toph and Aang went along for the ride. I think your Uncle gave them money for it."

Zuko rolled his eyes at that. His uncle was known for his extravagance. Zuko was certain that Iroh had given the girls a lot more money than they would need.

"By the way-" Sokka leaned over and punched Zuko in the arm.

"Hey! What was _that_ for?" Zuko demanded.

"Thanks to you, _my_ fiancée cancelled our pre-dinner date, too," Sokka said.

"_What?_" Zuko looked at his friend as if he had grown a second head.

"If you hadn't decided name my sister the Ambassador, they wouldn't have to go shopping," Sokka explained, resuming his sharpening. "Suki wouldn't have gone and we'd be doing something not so girly."

"You have problems," Zuko grumbled. "My _uncle _and _Master Pakku _named her ambassador!"

"Same diff," Sokka said with a shrug. Zuko huffed in annoyance, but decided to let it go. A wrestling match with Sokka would be beneath his dignity.

"So what did you have planned, anyway?" he asked.

"Nothing, really," Sokka replied. "I guess walking around the palace grounds. Or town. But _not_ shopping." Zuko was surprised.

"She would have been ok with you having nothing planned to actually do?" he asked his friend incredulously.

"Well, yeah. I mean we _are _about to go to a fancy dinner tonight. Sometimes we do fancy stuff like theater or a restaurant, but we're simple people. We just like being together." Sokka looked out of the window wistfully, his boomerang dangling limply in his hand. Zuko followed his gaze and realized that Sokka was staring out to the wall which separated the palace from the town. He looked away, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment. Sokka remembered himself after a moment and turned to Zuko.

"But you must know all about that," he said. "I mean, how long have you and Mai been together now? Three years?"

"A little less," Zuko corrected him. He could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks, as it always seemed to when Mai came up.

"Still, man," Sokka said. "That's a long time. Are you planning to marry her?"

"_Marry_ her?" Zuko turned to Sokka. His eyes were wide with shock. "I'm only nineteen!"

"_I'm_ nineteen," Sokka reminded him. "And you're about to become a leader of an entire country. Don't you _want_ a wife to help you out with that?"

"I suppose so," Zuko said uncertainly. "I haven't really given much thought. Marry Mai." The Fire Lord elect rested his chin against his hand thoughtfully.

"What do you mean you haven't thought of it?" Sokka asked skeptically. "Don't get me wrong, it's not a decision to rush, but…I mean Mai is a beautiful woman, and she _seems_ nice enough from what I know about her." Zuko turned away from Sokka feeling heat rising in his cheeks again, this time with shame. He wondered what his friend would do if he knew what Mai had said about his sister. Zuko mumbled something non-committal.

"Why did Aang go with them?" he asked, changing the subject. Sokka gave him an odd look, but shrugged it off.

"Something about wanting to take Appa out for some exercise, but," he leaned toward Zuko conspiratorially, "I _think_ he went because he has a crush on my sister. But don't tell that to anyone."

"Oh!" Zuko said, unsure of what else to say. How Sokka could have missed the fact that the Avatar had been in love with his sister for over three years was baffling to him. Even though Zuko _had_ been Katara's only confidante about what was going between her and Aang, he knew the others knew about Aang's crush.

"I mean think about it," Sokka continued. "_Appa needs exercise?_ Even if they couldn't have just taken a carriage, the shopping district is practically walking distance…for us anyway, I mean." Sokka pulled back and shook his head sadly "Poor guy. He doesn't stand a chance."

Zuko just nodded with what he hoped was a sympathetic look on his face. He liked Sokka, but sometimes he felt his friend was inexcusably dim.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Aang had had enough. The first couple of hours of watching Katara try on pretty clothes were fine, but the girls were about to enter the fourth dress shop of the day and Aang was frankly exhausted. He had never really been shopping with the girls before, and he could see now why Sokka had opted not to go with them. They had spent nearly five hours browsing the few shops and from what Iroh had told them, there were at least ten dress shops in the Fire Nation capital city. It was time to make an escape.

"I think Momo, Appa and I are going to go exploring…someplace else," he said, handing the bison whistle to Katara. "You can use this to call us when you're done." Momo leapt on to Aang's head and looked down at the girls solemnly, warning them not to wait too long to use the whistle.

"Don't worry, Aang," Katara said. "We probably won't be much longer." She smiled at him and Aang, to his annoyance, felt his heart pick up a little.

"Yeah." Toph grinned wickedly. " We'll only be another few hours." Aang heaved a long suffering sigh.

"How long does it take to pick out a dress?" he wondered out loud, climbing onto Appa's back. The three girls laughed and Aang paused half-way in his ascent to look back at Toph.

"I never thought _you'd _be one for all this girly stuff, Toph."

"What can I say, Twinkle Toes? It's growing on me." Aang rolled his eyes skyward and pulled himself the rest of the way on to Appa. With a flip of the reigns, Appa took to the sky, leaving the girls alone on the ground.

"How about we grab some lunch before we start shopping again?" Suki suggested.

"I'm in," Toph said immediately. Katara hesitated, she was hungry too, but she eyed the dress shop.

"Guys, we don't have much longer to pick out a dress for me," she said. "I don't want to do all of this and wind up going home with nothing."

"You won't," Toph said, waving off her concern. "We can grab some of that food on a stick that I hear is so popular."

"We've gotta eat," Suki reasoned. Katara's stomach gave a loud rumble, reminding her that she had barely touched breakfast.

"Alright," she agreed. "Let's go."

The girls went to the food stalls on the other side of the street and sat at one of the street side tables to discuss the dresses that Katara had seen.

"I really want to wear something blue," she told her friends. "I'm going to be the Water Tribe Ambassador, so I think it would make the most sense."

"I like that light blue one you tried at the second shop," Suki said. "It looked great on you."

"I don't know," Katara said, making a face. "It was kind of…busy. Don't you think?"

"Well, the silver sequins _may_ have been a bit much," Suki agreed. "But you pull it off nicely."

"I'm still not sure…"

"_Hello!_" Toph cut in, impatiently. "Blind girl sitting _right here_! Can we talk about something else for a while?"

"Sorry Toph," Suki said guiltily. "Something on your mind?" Toph sat back in her seat and folded her arms.

"As a matter of fact, there is." She turned in Katara's general direction. "What's going on between you and Sparky?" Katara choked on the bit of food she had been chewing and looked at Toph with wide eyes.

"What are you-?"

"Don't give me that, Sugar Queen," Toph cut her off smoothly. Suki looked from one girl to the other, utterly mystified.

"Something's going on between you and Zuko?"

"_No_," Katara said, firmly. "_Nothing's _ going on between us. We're friends, nothing more." Toph smirked and lifted an eyebrow at her friend.

"I can tell you're lying," she said, taking a nonchalant sip of tea. "You disappeared with him almost an hour after everyone had gone to bed-"

"You _did?_" Suki covered her gaping mouth with her hand. "Wait, isn't he with Mai? _Katara_!" Suki looked absolutely scandalized, and Katara's face turned as red as the Fire Nation flags hung along the street. Toph looked completely satisfied with herself.

"Suki! There's nothing going on between us!" Katara insisted. "I went to the garden because I wasn't tired. Zuko showed up and we talked for a while. That's _all_. That's _all_, Toph."

"Whatever you say," Toph said, clearly unconvinced. Katara threw her hands up and rolled her eyes.

"I'm not going to waste my breath trying to convince you," she said, exasperated. "I don't know _what_ stage drama _you're _ watching, but here in reality, Zuko has a girlfriend." Toph's face lit up triumphantly and she leaned forward onto the table.

"So what you're saying is that if Mai were out of the picture, there _would_ be something between you?" Katara opened her mouth to protest, but the words died on her lips. Arguing with Toph was exhausting.

"Really Katara?" Suki asked. "You like Zuko? I mean, not that I blame you. He's kind of _really_ handsome."

"Not to mention, he's about to be the most powerful man in the world," Toph added.

"You two are the worst," Katara groaned. "I never said I like Zuko."

"You never said you didn't,"Suki pointed out. Toph nodded sagely.

"If it helps, I don't think things are going so well between Sparky and Mai," she said.

"What makes you say that?" Katara asked, curious despite herself.

"Are you kidding?" Toph said, with a rude snort. "I know I'm better at reading people than most, but you seriously couldn't feel the tension when she walked in today? And you call _me_ blind." Katara frowned and thought back to earlier that morning. It made sense when she thought about it. Zuko _did_ seem to tense up when Mai walked in, as had they all. She remembered, also, that the night before, he seemed to be avoiding all mention of his girlfriend.

"You don't know that it's serious," Katara told them. "It could just be a rough patch. Don't you and my brother have them?"

"Well, yeah," Suki said. "But I think that was more than a rough patch we saw this morning. Zuko didn't exactly look _happy_ to see her. No matter how upset I've been with Sokka, I've never been not happy to see him." Katara hummed to herself thought fully and toyed with her drink.

"Do you _want_ him to break up with her?" Suki asked gently. Katara looked startled at the question.

"I…I don't know," she said. "I always assumed that Zuko would wind up marrying Mai. It's been a fact in my mind for so long…I never really thought of the possibility of them breaking up. Not even when-" Katara clamped her mouth shut hastily, cutting herself off mid-statement. Her friends saw her panic and their curiosity was piqued immediately.

"Katara, what are you hiding?" Toph asked, staring at her with the odd intensity of the blind. Katara was about to take a bite out of her fish on a stick to avoid answering, but Suki pulled it from her hand before she could.

"Spill," she ordered. Katara looked from one girl to the other, and then she looked over her shoulder, contemplating a hasty escape, but Toph bent the ground around her feet, trapping her.

"I won't let you go until you finish what you were saying," she threatened Katara, making her seat sink slightly into the ground.

"Come on, Toph," Katara pleaded, pulling uselessly against her earthen prison. "Isn't this a bit much, even for you?"

"Hey, I'm an inquisitive girl," Toph said, grinning. "Oh, and I'm your friend and I care about what's happening with you and all that noise."

"Charming," Katara said flatly. She stopped struggling. A quick glance at Suki told her that she couldn't expect any help from her. Katara finally gave up with a sigh.

"Alright," she relented at last. "I'll tell. But you have to _promise_ not to tell anyone else." Suki agreed immediately, but Toph sniffed condescendingly.

"I promise nothing." Katara looked at her with pleading earnestness.

"_Please_, Toph," she begged. "I'll tell you everything, but you have to keep it between us." Toph looked as if she were considering not promising. She could just threaten to leave her trapped in the ground until Aang came back. But she agreed at last.

"Alright, fine," she said. She released Katara's chair and feet and looked at her expectantly. Katara took a deep breath and leaned in closer to her friends.

"I haven't told this to _any_one," she almost whispered. "And I promised myself this would go to my grave."

"Just spit it out, already!" Suki said impatiently.

"Well…" Katara licked her lips nervously. "After the battle with Azula, Zuko and I…we _kissed_." Katara whispered the last word, but her friends heard her clearly nonetheless.

"You _what_?" Suki shrieked. She looked around to see if anyone was listening in. After the other diners realized that the scream had come from a teenage girl, they shook their heads and went back to their own business. Suki looked at Katara apologetically.

"I was _not_ expecting that," Toph said. She looked appropriately shocked, and a small part of Katara was glad that she was able to surprise the smug earthbender.

"So you _do_ like him," Suki said in a quieter voice. Katara felt the blush rising up in her cheeks again, and she shrugged miserably. She had never admitted it to herself, but she had felt something strong for Zuko for a while. She had called it friendship, but, although she wasn't ready to call it love, she was beginning to suspect it was a bit deeper than mere friendship.

"So what happened?" Toph asked her. "How did you wind up kissing?"

"Well, that was kind of a heat of the moment thing," Katara said. She stared at her hands folded on the table. "I was sure he was going to die after he took that lightning bolt for me. I was working as hard as I could, but there was so much blood…" Katara buried her face in her hands, trying to forget that the sight of the gaping wound in Zuko's chest. "When he finally opened his eyes, I didn't even realize what I was about to do until I had my arms around him and my lips on his."

"So _you_ kissed _him_?" Toph asked. "That's an interesting twist. How did he react?"

"I was getting to that," Katara said, looking at Toph peevishly. "You mind not interrupting me pouring out my embarrassing secrets?" Toph held her hands up in surrender. Katara gave her a final warning glare and continued her story. "Yes, _I_ kissed _him_, and I was mortified. I was about to pull away, but then he kissed me back."

"He _did_?" Suki asked excitedly. She wanted to squeal, but she contented herself with grinning madly and lightly clapping her hands. Katara stared at the ground and wished Toph would open up a nice hole for her to hide in.

"It really wasn't all that," she admitted. "I mean the kiss was...nice, but it didn't last long and we have never spoken of it again to anyone. Well until now."

"Well that settles it!" Toph said with a cheeky grin. "You two need to get together."

"Oh, yeah, sure," Katara said sarcastically. "Let's pretend for a moment that Mai_ wasn't _in the picture, and forget the fact that I don't know if Zuko likes me that way, _and_ the fact that I'm confused myself about what I feel. How do you think our families would react? Or the Fire Nation, for that matter? Do you _really_ think they would want their Fire Lord with a nobody from the Southern Water Tribe?" Suki put a sympathetic hand on Katara's. Toph said nothing. After a few minutes, Katara stood up, leaving the rest of her lunch.

"What do you say that we go find me something to wear," she said. "Unless there's some _other _soul crushing secret you want to bully out of me." Toph smiled innocently at her friend. She could tell Katara wasn't as upset as she was trying to sound.

"I don't know, is there anything else you want to share?" she asked cheekily. Suki stood up then, too, and put an end to Toph's prying.

"I think that's enough soul bearing for one week," she said. "Let's go."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The guard made his final rounds around the prison. The worst offenders from the war were there, but Shiro felt no fear of them. They were mostly silent as he walked past, peaking into an occasional cell. Finally he arrived outside of the last prisoner's door. He was being kept isolated from the rest of the prisoners, whether out of fear of what the other inmates would do to him, or what _he_ would do to _them_, Shiro wasn't sure. He peeked into through the bars in the heavy wood and steel door. Inside, Fire Lord Ozai sat on his bed, still dressed in the coarse day clothes that had been provided for him. His long dark hair trailed over his shoulders, making it appear as if the shadows of his cell had draped themselves around him like a robe. He looked up at the guard looking through the bars and smiled coldly.

'You're late," he said. Shiro leapt back and bowed apologetically. A useless gesture, as Ozai couldn't see him from where he was seated. With a sigh, Ozai stood and crossed the small cell to the door.

"Get up," he said, irritably. Shiro rose quickly and stood stiffly, waiting for Ozai's next order. "What news have you?"

"The Avatar and his friends have arrived," the guard told Ozai. "They're here for Prince Zuko's coronation." Ozai's nostrils flared, and his eyes went flinty, but he betrayed no other signs of anger.

"I hadn't realized my son had reached his majority already," he said.

"Not quite," Shiro explained. "He is still six months shy of his twentieth birthday, but Fire Lord- I-I mean _General_ Iroh is stepping down in his favor. His coronation is this week." Ozai lips curled up in what was meant to be a smile but turned into a sneer. The guard felt his blood run cold.

"Well, it seems I owe Zuko a present," he said with a maniacal gleam in his eyes. "A neck ornament of ruby, I think. As for the Avatar, I have something special planned indeed." Shiro had to fight the urge to tremble.

"Is everything prepared?" Ozai asked, turning his sharp gaze back onto the guard. The frightened man nodded wordlessly before he found his voice.

"Everything is set for tonight," he said. His voice cracked a bit and he cleared his throat before speaking again. "Everyone will be focused on the opening ceremonies and the state dinner. We will leave at midnight when the palace guard changes. A coach will be waiting for you and you will be taken to …"

"Quiet!" Ozai hissed. The guard shut his mouth abruptly. "We wouldn't want anyone to overhear where we're taking our little trip, would we?"

"Y-yes sir! I mean, no sir!" Shiro stuttered. Ozai glared at him through the bars for a long moment before raising his hand and dismissing the guard with a wave. The guard nearly ran down the corridor leading back to the well lit passages of the prison. He breathed a sigh of relief as he shut the door on the cell block. Briefly, he felt a welling of pity for the prince and the Avatar. Fire bending or no, he thought, Ozai was a dangerous enemy.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

The palace was abuzz with the final preparations for the banquet that evening. The last the group saw of each other was when Aang and the girls returned from their shopping trip. Then the girls all went to Suki's room to get dressed. The guys went to their own rooms to dress. Zuko was met by a small army of servants to prepare him for the evening. He barely suppressed a groan as they stepped forward to help him out of his normal clothes.

"I can handle this part myself," he assured them, fending off their advances. Unconcerned, they stepped back and allowed him to disrobe before they descended on him again. He stood up on a stool that had been set out in the middle of his dressing room and held his arms out stiffly while someone slipped the linen under robes on him. That was followed by the plain long sleeved, black silk jerkin and pants and over top of that someone put another jerkin. This one was red and heavily embroidered in gold. This was where it got a bit complicated. The top jerkin had to be fastened with a series of decorative knots. One servant took care of the knots with deft fingers while another servant tugged the rest of his clothes straight and neat. Yet another servant was laying out combs, pomades, and the small crown that would secure his top knot. Zuko realized with growing annoyance that he'd have to deal with this every night before his actual coronation. The-in his opinion, ridiculous- outfits would only get more complicated until the night he was to be named Fire Lord when he would have to wear the traditional robes of the Fire Lord, complete with the heavy, obnoxiously huge shoulder epaulettes. It would too much to deal with on his own. With a heavy sigh he stepped down from the stool and the next servant began detangling his mess of hair.

"Hey, Sifu Hotman! Looking good!" Zuko frowned in the mirror. In the reflection, he could see Aang and Sokka poking their heads into the room. They had twin grins on their faces watching their faces that Zuko automatically didn't like. One of the servants moved to shoo them from the room, but Zuko signaled for him to leave them alone. Sokka and Aang took it as an invitation to come all the way into his dressing room. They lounged on a couple of chairs.

"This is a nice set up you've got here, Zuko," Sokka commented, looking around at the plush room. There was a large armoire of solid tea-oak on one end and a wall of mirrors along another. Zuko was seated at the large vanity table with an unreasonably large mirror. In that same mirror Zuko could see the grin on Sokka's face that let him know the water tribesman was about to say something he thought was clever.

"So now that we've seen where the princess is supposed to get ready, why don't you show me the men's dressing room?" Sokka burst into hysterical laughter at his own joke, and he didn't notice- or maybe just didn't care- that neither of his friends joined in. Aang had a bemused smile on his face and Zuko just gave him a dead-pan stare in the mirror.

"Funny, Sokka," Zuko retorted. "If you wanted the _pretty_ dressing room, you should have just told me. We can switch."

That got a bit of a chuckle from Aang. Sokka pulled a face at him before turning to the mirror that was behind his chair and looking closely at his reflection. He rubbed his chin and studied his face intently.

"Should I have shaved?" he wondered out loud.

"You'd need something to shave, first," Zuko said with a smirk.

"Har-har," Sokka said sarcastically. He pointed to his ribs. "See my sides, how they split."

The servants working on Zuko finally put the finishing touches on his hair, securing the small flame-shaped crown on his top knot. Zuko examined his refection critically. The robes were slightly more ornate than the robes he wore normally and his hair had grown out. Now that it had been expertly arranged around his shoulders and it shined in the candle lit chamber. He was as satisfied with his appearance as he would ever be and he turned to his waiting friends.

"Let's get this over with," he said. Aang leapt up off of his chair and grinned. Zuko noticed for the first time that he was looking the Avatar in the eye. He was a tall, gangly almost 15 year old now, but just as exuberant and fun loving as he had been at 12. And right now, he was anxious to get to the banquet.

"I'll bet the girls are already waiting for us," he said, excitedly. Sokka looked at Zuko meaningfully from behind Aang, and Zuko suppressed a sigh. He really hoped that Sokka wouldn't be doing that all night.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The girls, despite Aang's prediction, were not waiting for them when they arrived at the main landing of the place's private wing.

"Why do women always take so long to get dressed?" Sokka complained after they had been waiting for fifteen minutes.

"To teach men patience." Suki and Toph stood at the top of the stairway leading to their rooms. Suki had her arms crossed and her eyes were narrowed at her fiancé. Sokka for his part was struck dumb by the sight of her. Suki was dressed in a dark green kimono with flowers embroidered in lighter green, fading into yellow and then white. The colors played up the hints of gold and hazel in her eyes. Toph looked as regal in her formal hanbok, gold with a red overlay and blue and gold obi.

"Sugar Queen, hurry up!" Toph turned back over her shoulder and tapped her foot impatiently. "Wouldn't want you to be late for them naming you ambassador."

"Relax, Toph!" Katara huffed. "I'm right here." Aang and Zuko both straightened up when they saw her arrive on the landing, and even Sokka let out a low whistle.

"You clean up nice, little sister," he said. Katara flushed and smoothed the skirt of her outfit. It was in the style of the Fire Nation's south, though in a dark blue with gold embroidery, instead of the traditional red. The lehenga was form fitting to the waist where it flared to the end and a wide sari wrapped around her waist and draped over one shoulder. The edges of the sari and lehenga were gold with a red floral pattern.

"It's not too much?" she asked.

"No!" Aang answered quickly. He blushed a deep red when everyone's gaze fell on him. "Y-you look great. Really, ambassador-y." Katara frowned and scrutinized herself.

"I wasn't sure if I should wear red or blue," she admitted.

"She drove us _crazy_ trying to decide," Suki told the guys.

"_Is this cut too low? Are these sequins too sparkly? Does this make me look fat? What if someone gets offended that I'm wearing Water Tribe colors and protests by throwing red paint on me?" _Toph mimicked. She snorted in disgust.

"I wasn't _that_ bad," Katara protested. She looked at Zuko shyly and pulled a bit at the outfit. "Blue is ok, isn't it? Iroh didn't tell me if I needed to wear anything in particular when we were leaving…"

"It's fine," Zuko insisted. "You look…great." Toph snickered and Suki hid a smile behind her hand with an almost silent squeal of delight. Katara resisted the urge to pinch them and stood up tall, haughtily refusing to look at either of them. The girls walked down the guys and Suki took Sokka's arm. Aang moved to offer Katara his arm, but Toph jumped in front of her.

"Arm, Tinkletoes,"she demanded. Aang looked disappointed for a moment, but took Toph's arm, good naturedly. Toph turned back towards Katara and Zuko with a mischievous grin. "You'd better help Katara, Sparky. She'll probably trip in that get up of hers." Suki looked at her and winked. Katara would have loved to have been anywhere else just then, but Zuko didn't seem to notice. He offered her his arm and after only a moment's hesitation, she accepted it.

'I'm not going to trip," she told him. "I'm not as clumsy as Toph thinks I am."  
"We know," Zuko said, patting her hand in a playfully condescending way. Katara glared at him, but allowed him to lead her down the rest of the stairs. All the way to the banquet hall, Katara fussed at her clothes.

"What's the matter?" Zuko asked finally.

"Um…It's a lot of cloth," Katara said quietly. "I'm not used to it. It feels weird." Zuko nodded in sympathy with a wry smile.

"I know what you mean." He pulled at the collar of his robes. "And I _should_ be used to it."

Ahead of them, the doors to the banquet hall loomed imposingly. The doors were tall, solid oak doors carved with the symbolic flame of the Fire Nation. Suki and Sokka were leading the way, followed by Aang and Toph, and Katara and Zuko brought up the rear. Occasionally, Suki would glance back at Katara with an excited grin and Toph would snicker for no apparent reason. Katara did her best to ignore the silent teasing, and gratefully saw that their friends seemed to be oblivious to anything strange.

_Men,_ Katara thought, rolling her eyes.

"_Ahem!_" Everyone's attention was drawn to a small alcove. Mai stood there looking at Zuko and Katara frostily. Katara dropped Zuko's arm as if it had burned her, and she dropped her eyes sheepishly to the floor.

"Mai!" Zuko said, surprised. "I thought we were meeting inside." Mai smiled tightly, she held her arms rigidly at her sides.

"I thought it would be nice if we were introduced together," she told him. "You know, because I'm your _girlfriend._" Zuko smiled and held out one arm for Mai and the other for Katara.

"I have two arms for a reason," he said. Katara looked from Zuko to Mai wide eyed in panic. Mai's face remained blank, but her eyes- now fixed on the waterbender- were alight with rage.

"That's alright, Zuko," she said, taking a step away. "Mai's your girlfriend. She should get to walk in with you."

"I don't want to make you walk in alone," Zuko insisted. Katara felt the blood rush to her face and tears of humiliation burned her eyes. She blinked them back immediately.

"It's fine, Zuko," she said firmly.

"I can escort her in," Aang suggested. He held his free arm out for her and Katara took it gratefully.

"See?" she said, forcing herself to smile cheerfully. "I'm taken care of." Zuko looked like he was going to protest more, but Mai slipped her arm through his.

"She's fine," Mai said. She couldn't bring herself to smile. Zuko looked at Katara, concerned. It was all Mai could do not to cry. She settled for looking bored.

Once everyone had settled themselves, Zuko motioned to the guards that they were ready to go in. They announced the entrance of Sokka and Suki- the future chief of the Southern Tribe and his fiancée- then Avatar Aang, Master Katara, and Master Toph Beifong of the Gao Ling Beifongs. Then it was Zuko and Mai's turn. The banquet hall went still when they appeared together in the doorway. The attendees stood respectfully. Zuko was stoic, as was Mai, and the servant announced them.

"Announcing Crown Prince Zuko and…" the servant glanced at Mai uncertainly for a moment. "Ms. Mai Kuroi." Mai walked with Zuko woodenly as he led her to the dais where his uncle was seated. They bowed respectfully and went to their seats at the head table. Zuko let go of the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding and smiled at Katara and Aang who were on the other side of the seat designated for Fire Lord Iroh. Mai couldn't relax, however. Zuko noticed, but he didn't ask her what was wrong. Mai couldn't blame him, of course. This really wasn't the time or the place. Still, Mai wished he would ask.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko watched Mai from the corner of his eye through the night. She was being quiet, even for her. It was driving Zuko to distraction, but he knew what she would say if he asked her what was wrong. He also knew that it certainly wasn't 'nothing'. He would have to wait until they had some privacy before he could ask what was wrong. In the meantime, all he could do is try not to look too bored as he felt as the evening proceeded.

The banquet was an unbearably dull procession of ceremonies and speeches. By the time they reached the end when Katara would officially be named Ambassador, Zuko was in a daze. Fortunately, he wasn't needed for most of the ceremonies, so he was free to zone out. Every so often, Katara would lean around behind Iroh and toss a bit of bread at Zuko's head to bring him back to the present. Aang giggled at her antics, but Zuko was less amused.

"If you fall asleep, don't blame me," she hissed at him when he glared at her angrily.

"Mother goat-hen!" he muttered. Iroh looked from Katara to his nephew with an eyebrow raised.

"I know I'm sitting between you," he said only half-jokingly, "but do I need to separate you two further?" The two young people shook their heads, and Katara made a face at Zuko before she went back to her meal and watching the proceedings. Zuko rolled his eyes and did the same, but he was smirking slightly. At least he wasn't bored anymore. He glanced to his other side to make a comment to Mai, but one look at the frosty look on her face was enough to make him forget what he was going to say.

"Are you alright?" he asked her. He answered his own question even as Mai said tersely,

"I'm fine." Zuko looked back at his uncle and friends quickly before he turned his earnest gaze to his girlfriend.

"You're not," he said in a low voice. "I can tell you're not. So why won't you tell me what's wrong?" Mai's head snapped up at him and she glared at him ferociously. Just as Zuko was beginning to regret started what seemed to be yet another argument with Mai, his uncle stood up. It was time for the announcement.

"Forget it," Mai snarled. "I don't want you to miss your _friend's_ big moment." She ignored Zuko's long stare. Iroh stood up before the council and bowed respectfully, and then he climbed the dais and stood in front of the throne to address the banquet hall.

"Katara of the Southern Water Tribe," he said gravely. Katara knew what to do; Iroh had discussed this with her earlier that day. She rose from her seat and with a nervous glance at Zuko and Aang she went to the dais and knelt at the bottom step, grateful that she had chosen to wear a lengha with a loose skirt. Iroh bade her rise and bowed politely when she stood.

"You have been chosen from among your people to represent the Southern Tribe as ambassador," Iroh said ponderously. There was no trace of his normal joviality and Katara had to fight the urge to shoot him a strange look as he continued speaking. "Do you accept?"

"I do." The words had a heavy feeling of finality to them that Katara wasn't expecting. She kept her head bowed respectfully as Iroh walked over to her and bade her to rise.

"Then before the council and the noble houses of the Fire Nation I name you the Water Tribe Ambassador. Does anyone oppose the appointment?"

There was a tense moment when Katara heard a chair behind her scrape across the ground. Her mouth went dry and she prepared herself for the inevitable. A powerful noble or council member would lead the rest of the court in objecting, strongly and loudly to Katara. She tried to hide the fact that she was shivering under the penetrating stares of the Fire Nation nobles. Quickly, she glanced behind her and saw her brother with Suki and Toph smiling at her encouragingly. After what seemed to Katara to be a small eternity, no one said anything. Iroh smiled broadly and shook her hand. He said some words of congratulations, but Katara's heart was beating in her ears too loudly for her to hear. She smiled woodenly, and shook the hands of some of the council members who came up to greet her, mouthing the some saccharine greetings and welcomes that she could tell they didn't mean. Suddenly she felt very drained.

Zuko didn't see the council members with Katara. He hadn't even heard his uncle officially declare her the new ambassador. His gaze was locked firmly on his hand on Mai's. Her hand was curled into a stiff fist. He couldn't bring himself to look her in the face, so afraid was he that the anger burning in his eyes would actually set her on fire. Mai had been preparing to speak against Katara's appointment. When Iroh called for any objections, she had moved to stand. Zuko had grabbed her hand reflexively almost before he had registered the sound of her chair scraping the floor. Iroh had looked towards them curiously, but Mai had kept mercifully quiet.

Soon the council members were done with Katara and Zuko saw Sokka escort her off the dais. The orchestra started playing and couples made their way to the ballroom floor. The formalities were done for the evening. Zuko stood as soon as he was sure no one would notice.

"I think we need to talk," he told Mai. His voice was low and just barely controlled, like rolling thunder before a storm. Mai met his glower defiantly and stood as well.

"I guess we do." She turned on her heel and led the way out to the balcony. There were a few people milling about, but Zuko dismissed them all with a quiet wave. They filed out immediately. One or two people winked at the couple. Mai's cheeks burned.

"What did you want to talk about?" she began abruptly as soon as they were alone. Zuko looked at her with a mix of anger and confusion.

"What's wrong with you lately?" he asked her, exasperatedly. "And don't say 'nothing'. I _know_ there's something wrong." Mai folded her arms and glared at Zuko before she turned away from him.

"Nothing's wrong," she said coldly. She didn't have to look at Zuko to tell he was angry. Mai could feel the sudden rush of heat from him. When she did glance over at him, he looked ready to explode. His shoulders were tensed up to his ears and his fist were clenched at his sides. His nostrils were flared the way they did when he was ready to fight. Frankly, Mai was surprised he wasn't breathing flames. He looked like the old Zuko.

Good, Mai thought. She liked him better this way. He was easier to understand. The old Zuko was more like Mai. The old Zuko had shut out everyone but her. Mai could deal with the old Zuko.

Zuko stayed like that for a few seconds, and then he shut his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he still looked upset, but the tension was gone from his shoulders. There was no sign that he was ready to breathe fire. He was rational and mature.

"Mai," he said, his voice level and controlled. "I can't do anything if you don't tell me what's wrong." Mai snorted in disgust and turned her eyes skyward. The stars burned brightly over the palace. Mai could feel Zuko's intense gaze on the side of her face. He was waiting for an answer. After a long stubborn silence on Mai's part, Zuko sighed resignedly. Mai heard his robes rustling and anticipated him at her side, but instead she heard him heading towards the doors heading back inside. She spun around wildly.

"You're _leaving?_" she asked angrily. Zuko stopped and looked back at her. He looked…disappointed.

"Mai, there is _clearly_ something wrong," he said. "You won't tell me what it is. I can't force you to, so the only thing I can think of to do is to give you your space."

"We're having problems and you want to turn tail and run," Mai accused. "Typical, Zuko. Typical."

"What do you want me to do?" Zuko asked with a frustrated growl. "I've been trying to figure out what's wrong! I've asked you and asked you. All you want to do is fight with me. I can't do this with you now! Not this week. Not tonight."

"Of course not tonight," Mai said scathingly. "I'm sure you're just _dying _to go congratulate your friend, right?" Zuko stared at Mai, genuinely surprised.

"What's your problem with Katara?" he asked her. "You don't even know her!"

"Oh, I know _plenty_ about her. I know _all_ I need to know about that uppity, trampy little peasant."

"Don't talk about my friends that way," Zuko warned her darkly.

"Your friend," Mai scoffed.

"What's your problem, Mai?" Zuko was getting angry again. Mai scowled, feeling just as angry.

"Why haven't you asked me to marry you?" That took Zuko by surprise. He stared at Mai blankly and Mai stared back expectantly.

"I- I…that is, we're so…" Zuko stuttered. Mai rolled her eyes and turned away from him.

"Just forget it," she muttered. She leaned over the balcony railing and glared out into the night.

"There you go_ again_!" Zuko huffed exasperatedly and threw his hands in the air. "You can't just say something like that and-and just shut down!"

"Why not?" Mai demanded. "It's not like deep talks are really our thing."

"Only because you won't talk!" Mai spun around to find Zuko standing behind her looking almost frightened.

"Alright," she said, tersely. "Let's talk. We've been together for nearly three years. You're being crowned Fire Lord this week, but we haven't even _discussed_ marriage yet. So what are you waiting for Zuko? Don't you want to marry me?"

"I just think I'm –_we're_ too young to get married," Zuko explained to her.

"Oh, come on!" Mai countered disbelievingly. "My parents were around our age when they got married. _Your_ parents weren't much older either. Heck, your Water Tribe friend is getting married and _he's_ your age! And most soon to be Fire Lords are married around the time they take the throne."

"I'm not most Fire Lords, Mai!" Zuko reminded her. "I'm dealing with a country that doesn't want me as Fire Lord, and a world that doesn't trust me. How could I handle being married and deal with all of that at the same time? Would _you_ want to deal with that?"

"Well, that _does_ sound difficult," Mai said sarcastically. "It makes me wonder how you're going to deal with having a girlfriend with all of that." Zuko was silent. Mai wrapped her arms around herself, but she stood tall. After a few moments, she spoke again. "Have you considered…"

"Considered what?" Zuko asked, curious despite himself.

"Have you considered that maybe the country would stand behind you if you pardoned your father?" Zuko gapped at Mai, stunned at her suggestion.

"Are you _joking_?" he asked incredulously. "After all he's done, all the people he's hurt, I'm still not convinced he doesn't deserve a death sentence."

"Was he really so bad, Zuko?" Mai was just as shocked by Zuko's declaration as he was by what she said.

"He has killed innocent people," he told her angrily. "He devastated countries so they would bow to him. He killed my grandfather because he wouldn't give him the throne and I _still_ don't know what he did to my mother. He drove Azula insane! Or have you forgotten what he did to your best friend? What he did to me?"

"Fire Lord Ozai was a strong willed ruler," Mai said. "I don't agree with everything he did, but under his reign, the Fire Nation flourished, and the other nobles won't forget that. And he didn't drive Azula mad; she was _always_ mad. I turned against her because I could see her going closer to the edge, but it was only a matter of time."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Zuko said suddenly. He turned away from Mai.

"Now who's shutting down?" Mai taunted mirthlessly.

"I think it's best if we don't talk about politics," Zuko growled. "You _clearly_ have no idea how serious it really is."

"Apparently not," Mai said quietly.

"But you think you want to marry me?" Zuko asked after a moment. Mai's eyes widened in surprise.

"What does any of that have to do with us being married?" Zuko's mood suddenly shifted again. He wasn't angry; he looked older for a moment.

"You would be the Fire Lady," he told her. "I need you to help me. To be on my side about policy-"

"You want me to be a Yes-woman," Mai cut in with a derisive snort.

"No," Zuko said firmly. "That's the last thing I need. But I need you to take more interest in world politics than the state of the Fire Nation. We have a lot to atone for and we might not _flourish_ for a while. I need my wife to help me find the balance between taking care of my people and making amends with the other nations."

"And you don't think I could do it?" Mai asked. She looked as if Zuko had slapped her. He flinched under her hurt gaze.

"You want me to pardon Ozai even though he's guilty of genocide," Zuko reminded her. "It would make me look good to the Fire Nation, but how would the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes feel? Those were _their _people he slaughtered and enslaved."

"So who could help you with that, Zuko?" Mai's voice shook and her eyes filled with rare tears. "Someone like Katara?"

"Why do you keep bringing her up?" Zuko asked huffily. His shoulders sagged. He wanted desperately to be back inside with the two faced nobles and stuffy ceremonies. He wanted to be celebrating Katara's appointment with his friends. He wanted to be anywhere but on that balcony beneath the stars with his girlfriend.

"You really don't know, do you?" Mai sighed and looked down at her feet. "I know you two kissed." Zuko snapped his head back to Mai.

"What are you talking-"

"After you fought Azula," Mai explained. "I was there. I knew you were at the palace to face Azula. I came to find you. To see if you needed help. When I got there, I saw the water bender healing you. And then I saw her kiss you. And you kissed her back. Does that ring any bells?"

"That was three years ago," Zuko said quietly. "We haven't even spoken about it since then."

"But you have a thing for each other," Mai accused. "Admit it." Zuko shook his head disbelievingly.

"You're out of your mind." Mai grabbed the sleeve of Zuko's robe and looked at him with desperation and suspicion mingled in her eyes.

"Then deny it!" she demanded. "Tell me I'm wrong! Tell me there's nothing going on between you two."

"What could possibly be going on between us?" Zuko asked. He fought to keep his voice below shouting. "I can count the number of times I've seen her since the war ended on my hands"

"And now she's going to be living here," Mai pointed out. "How convenient."

"That kiss was a heat of the moment thing, Mai! It meant nothing to either…" Zuko cut himself off suddenly. They heard the sound of footsteps approaching from the hall. A guard stepped out onto the balcony and bowed respectfully.

"Fire Lord Iroh request that you and Miss Mai join the rest of the party in the courtyard," he said. "The firework display will begin shortly." Zuko blinked in surprise- when had it become midnight?- and dismissed the servant. Turning back to Mai, he hesitantly offered her his arm. She took it hostilely and allowed him to lead her inside. She made her face neutral as they made their way back to the party. After all, they still needed to keep up appearances.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Fifteen minutes before the changing of the guards began, five shrouded figures huddled at the door of the underground prison. Shrio glanced nervously at the men with him. There were four guards surrounding the ousted Fire Lord waiting their opening to escape. Shiro only knew one of them; Tan was the orchestrator of the whole thing. He had chosen Shiro because of his loyalty to Ozai, and Shiro could only assume that the other two men were chosen for the same reason. They were all similarly attired in plain black cloaks with wide hoods to hide their faces. If they kept to the shadows, they should be almost invisible. Shiro took a deep breath and went over the plan in his head.

The guards would be changing shifts during the fireworks display. The sounds of the fireworks going off hid the sound of the guards' footsteps. The guards switched shifts while the guests were occupied with the display so that they wouldn't be disturbed by the guards filing out. It also kept them in one place so that they could be easily protected if the palace was attacked while the guards were distracted. This, however, would not be an attack, and the guards would not be watching for anyone _leaving_ the palace. The five escapees would sneak out through one of the smaller, more disused servants' doors and make their way quickly through the back streets of the town surrounding the palace. There would be a phaeton with two ostrich horses- all in dark colors of course- waiting for them once they had put a little distance between them and the palace. The phaeton would carry them on the first leg of their journey into the mountains. Their second leg would be completed with new mounts and they would make their way to a small, secret stronghold in the woods. There Ozai would gather his supporters and raise an army to attack the capital city and wrest control from his brother and son. Shiro had no doubt that the plan would work, but he couldn't stop his hands from shaking with nerves. He wiped his sweaty palms discretely on his cloak, and realized that Tan was giving the signal to move out.

The hall was as quiet as they could have hoped. The guards who should have been watching over the prisoners were all asleep at their posts. The result of a few bottles of wine, compliments of Fire Lord Iroh to celebrate the opening ceremonies for his nephew's coronation. No one could taste the heavy dose of sleeping medicine the bottles had been spiked with. The five men made their way down the hall as quickly as possible, doing their best to avoid anyone who might be in the halls. It was a good thing the palace was filled with the Fire Nation nobility, Shiro reflected. Had they not been there the guards wouldn't have been so concentrated around the walls of the palace instead of their normal posts interspersed throughout. Shiro didn't have time to consider this any further. Tan had stopped in front of a door hidden in the shadows. With some small bit of difficulty, he managed to get the heavy door open and led the way through a dark, dusty hall- an entrance from the days when the prison was the servant's quarters.

So far their plan was going without a hitch. Soon they were out in the cool night air. Their last obstacle lay before them- the outer palace wall. Tan led them, keeping close to the wall and as far out of any bit of light as possible, to a portion of the wall that was being renovated. There was a ladder leaning against the stucco and it was over this way that they would leave the palace grounds. Tan and the two other guards went first, then Ozai, and finally, Shiro clamored up the ladder. With a final glance around the grounds that had been his home for years, Shiro hauled himself over the wall and jumped down lightly on the other side.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

Katara was awake surprisingly early. Well, awake was a bit of an overstatement. Zuko paused in the doorway of the library and shook his head. Katara was sitting at the table with her head down on an open scroll and staring at a pot of tea at the other end of the table. She glanced up when Zuko arrived and reached an arm towards the tea pot.

"Help," she whined pathetically. "I can't reach it." Zuko shook his head, but went to the table and pushed the pot within Katara's reach.

"Why are you up if you're so tired?" he asked, sitting across from her. Katara shrugged half-heartedly and sat up so she could pour the tea into a cup.

"I couldn't sleep, believe it or not," she said taking a sip of tea. Glancing out of the window at the grey dawn she asked him, "What are _you_ doing up so early?" Zuko's mouth twisted ruefully into something that wasn't quite a smile.

"Couldn't sleep either," he said. He had spent the better part of the early morning hours fuming in his room. When that had gotten boring, he decided to fume in the library, thinking that no one would be up yet.

"I was having raging panic attacks and questioning if I'm doing the right thing by taking the job as ambassador," Katara told him, sitting up so she could look him in the eye. "Why couldn't you sleep?" Zuko met her pointed gaze stubbornly.

"Too much cake," he answered. "Sugar rush."

"Now _that_ would be something to see!" Katara laughed. She clearly didn't believe him, but she didn't press- most likely, Zuko thought, because she was too tired. She put her head back down on the table, still chuckling a bit. Zuko felt relief flood him. Katara was the last person he wanted to talk to about his romance troubles with. He frowned and studied his friend. Katara was very pretty, Zuko admitted to himself. Aang wasn't the only man Zuko had seen take notice of the nearly seventeen year old water master. Even when he was travelling with the Gaang before the final battle with Ozai, he was occasionally wary of the trouble a pretty young girl like her could get into in some of the rougher areas they went through- though, Katara was nothing if not formidable. As were all the women in the Gaang. She was also smart and a good leader- after all, Iroh would never have appointed her as ambassador if he didn't have confidence in her abilities. Zuko was sure she would make some man an amazing wife someday. Even so, he had never seriously considered her romantically. Not even after their never mentioned kiss.

That's not to say that it didn't cause him endless months of confusion after the fact. Even after he reunited with Mai, he replayed the kiss in his mind a thousand times trying to figure out what- if anything- it meant. For the few days after Katara studiously avoided him, and Zuko in a rare bout of cowardice didn't bring it up either. Their friendship went on as it had and they still talked about almost everything- except the kiss...and Mai. Zuko's frown deepened. _Why _was Mai so convinced that his relationship with Katara was more than friendship? The kiss couldn't have been all. Could it? Zuko sighed in frustration and ran his hand over his face.

Across from him, Katara's breathing became deeper and slower. She had fallen asleep with her hand still clasped around her tea cup. Zuko reached over and pulled it out of her hand. He thought about waking her and walking her back to her room, but she could be as hard to wake as Sokka at times. Zuko didn't think he could wake her even if he had the heart to, so he decided to sit with her until she woke up again. He pulled the scroll from beneath Katara's head gently and read a bit of it. It was a scroll on history and lore from the different nations. Zuko made a face.

"Leave it to you to pick up something so dull," he muttered as he continued reading. "_The Legend of Oma and Shu: A History of Social Tension in the Earth Kingdom."_

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Zuko!" The scroll that had been lying across the prince's lap clattered to the floor as he leapt to his feet. The sudden flood of sunlight disoriented the Crown Prince and he took a few seconds to remember where he was. He looked over at Katara, who was blinking at him dazedly from across the table. Then Katara looked down at the end of the table, and Zuko followed her gaze. Iroh stood at the head of the table and Zuko knew immediately that whatever news he had wasn't good.

"Your father escaped last night," he said bluntly. Katara gasped sharply. "His cell was discovered empty this morning and the guards have been drugged."

"Do you know where he's gone?" Zuko demanded. His fists were clenched around the fabric of his pants. Iroh shook his head gravely.

"No one knows anything about the escape," he told his nephew. "Or rather, no one's confessed. Ozai didn't get out of here without help."

Zuko was trying to remain calm. Iroh could see him practicing the breathing techniques Iroh had taught him. Iroh could also see that wasn't working. Katara stood up just then and looked at the two men gravely.

"Looks like we get to relive old times after all," she said grimly. "We should get the others." Zuko nodded and stood.

"Uncle," he addressed Iroh. "We'll meet in your study in ten minutes." Iroh crooked an eyebrow at his nephew.

"Don't you think this is a conversation for the war room?" he asked.

'No," Zuko said shaking his head. "Ozai had help escaping and we have no idea who was involved or who we can trust. For now I think we need to have a plan before we face the rest of the War Council." Iroh stared at Zuko for a moment before his mouth curled up into a humorless smile.

"You're thinking like a leader, Prince Zuko," he said. "It's a shame we may have to postpone your coronation." Zuko froze at that, and then nodded resignedly.

Katara put a hand his shoulder and motioned that it was time to go.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Aang looked around the room at the faces of his friends. No one would meet his eyes, but he felt he knew what they were thinking. He wished someone would say something, but at the same time, he dreaded that they would. Sokka was the first to break the silence.

"Well, the first thing we need to do is figure out where Ozai's gone," he said. He looked up at Iroh. "Do you have a map we can use? Maybe we can narrow our search to where you think he's likely to be. He can't have gone far." Aang stared at Sokka. His face was set determinedly, but he didn't look worried. The initial shock was over and Aang saw that his friends were already prepared to go into battle. Iroh had pulled a map of the Fire Nation down from the wall, and Katara was already talking to him about supplies for their trip. Toph and Suki were discussing getting help from the Kyoshi Warriors and a squad or two of the Earth Kingdom soldiers. Only Zuko seemed like he was still coming to terms with his father's escape. The prince looked up and met Aang's eyes, and Aang quickly looked away, his face flushed with shame.

"Aang?" The Avatara realized that Katara had been speaking to him. His cheeks turned a deeper red when he saw the concern on her face.

"I-I'm fine," he stammered. "What were you saying?"

"We're going to need to take Appa," she explained again. "What preparations do you want us to make?"

"Oh! Um…" Aang thought for a moment. "I guess we'll need to check his saddle to make sure it's going to hold up for the trip. And we'll need some hay for him. Not a lot, because he can eat grass. But it's always good to have some just in case…" Aang shrugged. He didn't know what else to say.

"We should have him fitted for armor, too." Aang turned back to Zuko. He was staring at the floor, avoiding everyone's eyes.

"That's true," Katara said quietly. "I don't think Ozai is going to be waiting for us with a pot of tea and snacks."

There was a long silent pause before everyone started making plans again. Even Zuko finally shook himself out of his shock and was helping Sokka and Iroh mark places Ozai might be hiding. Aang slipped into a corner and watched everyone work. Soon they would have a plan of action and it would be time to talk with the Fire Nation generals about how to deal with this problem. Aang would have to be present for that, too, but he couldn't think of what he could possibly add.

Iroh left the group about an hour later. As the acting Fire Lord, he had to call the council to order. The rest of the group stayed behind to plan.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

It was late afternoon before they were finally prepared to meet with the war council. Zuko led the way to the War Room. The sound of their footsteps fell into an odd rhythm that, to Zuko, sounded like a heart beating. The generals rose when Zuko and his friends walked in, but a few looked at him uncertainly or smirked at the young Crown Prince. In short, there was little to inspire much confidence in the group.

There was a seat for Zuko to Iroh's right, and one more seat for Aang to his left. The rest of the Gaang had to stand behind the generals. None of them had any official business in the War Room, but neither Iroh nor any of the generals made any moves to dismiss the Avatar's core group of supporters. Iroh started the meeting by asking for any information on any hidden bunkers Ozai may have created before his defeat.

"The deposed Fire Lord had many secrets, my Lord," said a middle aged general named Kojin. "We all knew of some of his hide outs, but it's highly unlikely that he would be in any of the better known ones. Iroh nodded gravely.

"As you say," he conceded. "Still, I'd rather have all the information I can. My brother is crafty and the more of his escapes we can cut off, the better."

"It seems to me," another general chimed, "that we had an opportunity to dispose of the ex-Fire Lord before. We were promised that he would no longer be a threat after the Avatar…took care of him. Yet he seems to be as much of a threat at ever."

"How so?" Iroh asked. "Ozai has escaped, but I have no doubt that we will find him. He may find support, but united against him is the strength of not only the Fire Nation military, but the forces of the Earth kingdom and the Water Tribes. As you know, neither is to be underestimated."

"Fire Lord Ozai and his supporters are not to be underestimated, either,"replied a general named Hiro. After a moment's hesitation, he added, "Your Majesty."

At Iroh's side, Zuko's eyes narrowed at the general's address of his father as Fire Lord, but Iroh didn't acknowledge it at all. Zuko glanced over at Aang. He was staring at the table, and keeping his face carefully blank. His hands were folded so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. Zuko looked away quickly and looked for the rest of his friends, but all he could see of them in the dim lighting was a bunch of shadowy silhouettes.

"What do you suggest," Iroh asked the general. Hiro rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Amnesty," he said after a moment. "We could offer Fire Lord Ozai his freedom in exchange for giving up his claim to the throne." There was a murmur of agreement around the table. Zuko could feel the bile rising in his throat and beside him, Aang clasped his folded hands even tighter.

"Are you crazy?" All eyes turned to Sokka. He glared at the general indignantly. Suki had a restraining hand on his arm, but Sokka ignored her.  
"Who are you to speak out of turn, _boy_?" Hiro sneered. Zuko was halfway out of his seat before he realized he had moved, but Iroh caught him and pulled him down into his seat.

"This is Sokka," Iroh told the general. "The heir of Chief Hakkoda of the Southern Tribe. I believe he has a right to have a say in how we proceed." Sokka nodded gratefully and addressed the rest of the Council.

"Ozai is not remembered fondly among the nations," Sokka told them. "The Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom are slowly coming to trust the Fire Nation under Ir- Fire Lord Iroh, but they aren't so forgiving of the past atrocities committed by Ozai. A lot of them aren't happy that he's still alive, and once this news gets out, they'll be less happy. If you pardon Ozai, I can guarantee that whatever peace exists between the nations will dissolve." Sokka stared down the faces of all the gathered generals, his chest slightly heaving in anger.

"That is a pretty speech, boy," Hiro said mockingly. "But the Fire Nation is dealing with its own unrest. With all due respect to Fire Lord Iroh and Prince Zuko, there are many people in this country who see you as traitors to the kingdom. Since the end of the war, we have been sending money to the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom while here the fortunes of many once loyal citizens have turned for the worse, and they blame the current government. Pardoning a Fire Lord who is _still_ beloved by many would go a long way to assuring the citizens that the royal family's main concern is the Fire Nation."

"Are you serious?" Zuko demanded slamming his fist on the table top. "Of course the Fire Nation is our main concern! Everything we do-every bond we make with the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom – is as much for the benefit of the Fire Nation as much as to make amends!"

"Prince Zuko." Iroh stared at his nephew meaningfully. After a moment, Zuko slowly sat back down. A few of the generals seated around the table looked at him smugly, but Iroh's sharp gaze turned on them.

"Some unrest is to be expected in these times," Iroh told them. "I and my nephew are well aware of the fears and attitudes of the people, and we are doing all we can to assure our subjects of our continued concern for them while at the same time assuring that we can grow more united with our neighbors. There is no room for Ozai in that plan. " Another general started to object, but Iroh silenced him by raising his hand.

"The world is changing, gentlemen. We have the choice to either learn and grow from our past mistakes, or cling to them to the detriment of everyone. I hope everyone here will make the right choice."

Iroh let Zuko and the Gaang leave the meeting early. None of them minded; they had their own plans to discuss.

"We're going to have to act independently on this," Sokka told them.

"What do you mean?" Aang asked. His friends fell into a brief, uncomfortable silence and Aang could feel the tips of his ears burning again.

_Hair would be helpful about now,_ he thought miserably.

"He means that we can't trust the Fire Nation Army," Zuko explained after a moment. "We don't know how many of them are still loyal to Ozai. We're going to have to try to find him ourselves."

"Well what about the Earth Nation troops?" Aang asked anxiously. "And the Kyoshi warriors? You were _just_ talking about getting them and I'm sure they'll help! And we can trust _them_, right?"

"Two problems with that idea, Twinkle Toes," Toph said, holding up two fingers. "One, we don't know how many troops they can spare. The Earth Kingdom has a lot of rebuilding to do themselves and we can't expect that they'll be able to immediately drop everything and come help. Two, even if we can get a decent number of troops, we would still be mostly relying on the Fire Nation army, since this _is_ technically their problem. "

"We wouldn't have to actually engage Ozai ourselves," Sokka told Aang. "We just need find him."

"Don't worry Aang," Katara said, putting a hand on her friend's shoulder. "We beat him once. We can do it again." Aang scowled and shook Katara's hand off, to the surprise of everyone.

"We _barely_ beat him before," he retorted. "I took his bending- _his bending-_ and it didn't stop him. _How_ are we going to beat him this time?" Silence fell over the group again. Everyone avoided Aang's pointed gaze, and after a few moments, his shoulders slumped dejectedly. He knew what the answer was, and he didn't like it.

"No one's asking you to do this yourself," Suki said, not unkindly. Aang nodded with a sigh.

"I know."

"And we have an awesome team. I could probably do it alone, but it doesn't hurt that we have a bona fide ninja on our side," Toph reminded him, light heartedly. She nudged Katara playfully. "Isn't that right, Sugar Queen?"

"Two!" Sokka corrected her, throwing an arm around Zuko's shoulder. "Don't forget about this guy."

"Who could forget Prince Sparky?" Toph laughed.

"He's not coming with us." All the laughter ended abruptly and the Gaang turned their stunned gazes to Katara.

"What do you mean I'm not coming?" Zuko demanded. "Of _course _I'm coming!" Katara's eyes flashed stubbornly.

"This is too dangerous for you, Zuko," she told him. "You're the next Fire Lord. There's no one else. If something happened to you, then everything we've done, everything we've fought for would be for nothing."

"So your plan is to leave me behind with the very troops we just decided weren't completely trustworthy? Brilliant, Katara!" Katara folded her arms and glared Zuko down. He glared back just as determinedly.

"You'll be better protected here in the Fire Nation than with us. You and Iroh took Ozai's throne. Don't you think he'd just _love _for us to hand deliver you on an armor plated bison?" Zuko snorted derisively.

"And do you think not having me with you would stop him from killing you? You're dead if he catches you, whether I'm with you or not."

"I know that!" Katara snapped. "But if you were killed with us, who would lead the Fire Nation? Iroh? He's a great Fire Lord, but he isn't exactly young enough to pop out a new heir and train him to run the country. You're not coming with us!" Zuko and Katara stood facing each other down. The tension was electric. After a while, Zuko straightened up and folded his arms.

"Either I come with you," he said, "or I go find Ozai on my own." The words hung around the group heavily. Katara looked as if she were contemplating freezing Zuko to a tree. Sokka cleared his throat.

"Why don't we-"

"Stay out of it, Sokka!" Katara and Zuko cut him off simultaneously. Toph had to stifle a snicker, despite the gravity of the moment. Katara's dark glare flickered towards her for an instant, and then she turned back to Zuko.

"Why don't we ask Iroh?" Suki suggested. That caught the pair off guard. The looked at Suki and then back at each other.

"Fine," Katara said. "We'll ask Iroh."

"Agreed." Zuko's face was set angrily and he turned away from Katara. Sokka, for his part, looked at both of them sourly.

"Sure," he muttered "Suki makes a suggestion and everyone's all ears, but you jump down _my_ throat when I dare utter a word."

"Shut up, Sokka," Toph said, punching Sokka in the arm. "No one likes it when you whine."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

It was nearly three hours before Iroh could meet with them. The palace was alive with activity once more, but the mood was somber instead of festive. Zuko and Katara wanted to wait in Iroh's office, but they had to prepare along with the others. The Gaang split up to gather what they could without drawing too much attention. The official story was that they were going back to the Earth Kingdom to discuss the involvement of the Water Tribe and the troops from Ba Sing Se. When Iroh finally sent word that he had time to see Zuko and Katara, their friends decided to let them handle it themselves.

"I don't know why you're bothering to pack," Katara said when she met Zuko on the landing connecting the two wings . "You aren't going to need a rucksack in the palace."

"You're right," Zuko replied stubbornly. "I just need to know if I'm packing for a bison flight, or a trip on foot."

"You're not coming," Katara told him, as she walked down the stairs to the guest wing.

"I'd like to know how you're planning to stop me." Zuko glared down at her. Katara didn't say anything. She just lifted her chin defiantly and wouldn't look at him.

Iroh didn't look up when the pair entered his office. There was a pile of papers and maps strewn across his desk. He motioned for them to sit as he scribbled something.

"I'm afraid I don't have much time to spare," he told Zuko and Katara. "But since you said it was important, I wanted to make sure I got to see you before the _real_ work begins. What do you need?"Zuko and Katara started talking at once, startling Iroh.

"He can't come on this trip! It's too dangerous!"

"I'm not staying behind! Tell her to back off!"

"It doesn't make any sense for you to come, Zuko. What if something happens to you?"

"So I'm just supposed to stay behind and hide under my bed?"

"Of course not! But you-"

"Stop!" Iroh's voice cut through the bickering. Katara and Zuko stopped talking and looked back at the Fire Lord. He looked suddenly tired and bewildered.

"This is about whether or not Zuko is going with you?" he asked them. They started to answer simultaneously, but Iroh cut them off again. "No. I'm not doing this with the two of you. You are both old enough to sort this out yourselves. Zuko, you are about to take over leadership of this country. You cannot keep coming to me to solve your problems. And _you_, Katara. You are a brilliant young woman and a strong, determined leader, but you are not the Fire Lord, and you are _not_ Zuko's mother."

"But I-" Katara started. Iroh raised his hand and cut her off again.

"I have a lot to do and not very much time to do it," he said. "I need you to work this out yourselves. I trust your judgment." Iroh nodded his dismissal and went back to the work on his desk. Zuko and Katara stood there awkwardly for a moment, but Iroh didn't say anything else. They left quietly and walked down the hall to Iroh's study.

"So, I guess we should figure this out now," Zuko said, closing the door behind them. Katara folded her arms and shrugged.

"I guess so." They stared at each other for a few minutes, each waiting for the other to begin. Katara broke the silence first.

"It doesn't make any sense for you to come with us," she told him. "You more than any of us would be a target." Zuko snorted at that.

"First of all, I'm a target no matter where I am," he countered. "If you don't think my father has spies and agents still in the palace, you're crazy. At least if I go with you guys I won't have to be constantly watching my back. Second, I'm not the only target he'll want. Aang took his bending away. He's going to want revenge for that. He may even be more anxious to get his hands on Aang than me- at first anyway. Do you think you should keep Aang out of this, too?" Katara looked dangerously close to saying yes. "Stop being so overprotective, Katara. You of all people should know you can't protect everyone."

"But what if something happens to you?" Katara demanded. "I don't want _any_ of us to have to go, but we have to. If something happens to the rest of us, it's not as critical. If something happens to-if something happens to Aang, there will be another Avatar." Katara winced as if the thought had caused her physical pain. "But you're the _only_ heir that Iroh has. Who could we trust to lead the Fire Nation peacefully? Who else has your love for this country _and_ your concern for the rest of the world. They need you more than they need any of us. Even Aang." Zuko folded his arms and scowled at her.

"So your only reason for wanting me to be safe is because you don't trust anyone else to be Fire Lord?" he asked sarcastically. "It's bad enough to be treated like a Pai Sho piece by my own people, I don't need my friends doing it, too."  
"Don't be ridiculous, Zuko," Katara snapped. "Of course I don't just want you safe so you can be Fire Lord. You're my friend. If anything were to happen to you- to any of you- I…" Katara turned away from Zuko and swiped at her eyes angrily. Zuko put a hand on her shoulder and made her turn around.

"Katara, you're going to make yourself sick worrying about everyone," he told her. "Stop dwelling on the what ifs. We all know the risks. But we all know this has to be done. I mean unless you have better plan." Zuko laughed a little bit, trying to make a joke. Katara looked up at him, her blue eyes determined.

"I could go by myself," she said seriously. Zuko stared at her as if she had grown a second head, or just announced her plans to marry Ozai.

"You're kidding-"

"I'm not," Katara assured him. "I could go with a few soldiers on my own and flush Ozai out. I'm nearly as good at tracking as you are, and I'm sure Aang would let me take Appa."

"You've lost your mind," Zuko said shaking his head. "What makes you think any of us would allow that?"

"Think about it, Zuko," Katara reasoned. "I'm the most expendable one. You're going to be the Fire Lord; my brother is going to take over after my dad and you need him to build ties between the Water Tribes and the Fire nation. Aang is the Avatar, for crying out loud! Suki and Toph are too valuable to the Earth Kingdom to lose. That leaves me. If I don't make it back, it's not cataclysmic. You'd be able to find a new ambassador to-"

"Stop!" Zuko couldn't hear anymore. He couldn't believe that this was what his friend saw herself as. "You have said some stupid things since I've known you, but this has got to beat all! You are not expendable! You matter as much as any of us. I mean forget the fact that you pull us together as a team. Forget the fact that you are just as important to relations between the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes as your brother. How do you think we would feel if we let you sacrifice yourself for us like this? Especially since you don't have to! Think about your father, or your brother for pity's sake. Sokka would never agree to you doing this. None of us would. You seriously need to get over this hero complex you've got and stop being a stubborn mule-ox. We're all going, so deal with it!"

Katara glared at Zuko stonily. Zuko hadn't seen that look directed at him since he had joined the Gaang all those years ago. He didn't back down, though. He glared back just as stonily, determined not to let her win this argument. He was about to threaten to bring the others into it, when to his surprise, Katara started crying again.

"It's not fair," she said angrily. "This should be over. We shouldn't have to have this argument. I just don't want to lose anyone else to this stupid war that was supposed to be over three years ago!" Zuko pulled Katara into a hug, and after a short hesitation, Katara hugged him back and cried on his shoulder.

"You're right, it's not fair," Zuko agreed. "So let's go find my father and tell him exactly _how_ unfair he's being."

"Am I interrupting something?" Zuko and Katara jumped apart as if they had been shocked. Mai stood in the doorway of the study, glowering at the pair.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

"Mai!" Zuko said in surprise. "What are you doing here?" Mai frowned at him and Katara suspiciously. Katara mumbled a quick greeting and then turned away from Mai and Zuko to hastily wipe the tears from her face. After a moment she turned back with a wide smile plastered on her face.

"It's nice to see you again, Mai," she said overly cheerfully. Mai's eyes narrowed and she nodded noncommittally. Katara cleared her throat uncomfortably excused herself to finish packing.

"You two looked…cozy," Mai said when she was gone. Zuko sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Please don't start on that," he groaned. "Katara was upset. I was just comforting her _as a friend_." Mai shrugged disinterestedly.

"I wasn't going to say anything." Mai went over and sat down on the couch and looked at Zuko pointedly. "So what was she so upset about? Did Gen-Fire Lord Iroh change his mind about appointing her?"

"No," Zuko said, clenching his jaw. "My father escaped. We're all upset." Mai gasped and sat bolt upright.

"What?" she asked. "How? What are you going to do?" Zuko sighed again and paced the floor.

"We have to find him," he told her. "And this time…I don't think imprisonment is going to be the solution."

"You mean…you're going to have him killed?" Mai's eyes were wide and her jaw hung agape in shock. "You can't be serious."

"We gave him a chance," Zuko said. He stopped pacing and glared at the red carpet beneath his feet. "I don't see that we have any other choice." Mai stood up so she could look Zuko in the eye.

"What do you mean you have no other choice?" she asked. "How do you know he's planning to do anything wrong? Zuko, he's your father!" Zuko growled in frustration.

"What do you think he's planning then, Mai?" he demanded. "A tea party? My uncle has been in meetings with generals all day. Soldiers are already starting to defect, and no one's sure how many or where they've gone or how many more are planning to go. He's been planning this probably since the day the war ended. Ozai is dangerous and he can't be allowed to live."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this." Mai shook her head disbelievingly. Zuko didn't say anything. He leaned against the arm of a chair and pinched the bridge of his nose with his forefingers. They stayed that way for a long while, with Mai sitting on the couch across from him, unsure of what to say. Zuko wasn't sure how long it was before Mai finally spoke, but it felt like hours.

"Where will you be?" she asked him quietly.

"We're going after him," he told her.

"I know that!" Mai snapped. She paused and took a breath to calm her nerves. "I know that. I meant which troop are you going with? Where are you going to be? My father still has ties in the military. Maybe I can…can…" Mai couldn't finish. She shrugged helplessly. Zuko saw her turmoil and sat on the couch beside her.

"Mai, I won't be with a troop," he told her. He took her hand in his and played absently with her fingers. Mai leaned into him and rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm going with Aang, Sokka and the others." Mai's demeanor changed immediately. She stiffened and snatched her hand away from Zuko.

"Why are you going with them?" she asked quietly. Zuko wasn't fooled, though. Mai was seething.

"Given the circumstances," Zuko answered tersely, "it seems like the safest option for me."

"Safe?" Mai leapt of the couch and glared at Zuko incredulously. "How can traveling with the Avatar and his mish-mashed team of…of…teenagers be safer than traveling with a Fire Nation troop?"

"I know I can trust them, Mai," Zuko explained, trying to calm her down. "I don't know who I can trust in the army."

Mai stood over Zuko breathing in and out deeply. Then she started crying. Silent rouge tears at first and then stifled sobs.

"Mai..." Zuko stood and pulled her into an embrace and let her cry on his shoulder for a moment until she pulled away.

"When are you leaving?" she asked quietly. Zuko shrugged wearily.

"We're not sure, yet," he told her. "We're waiting for any possible leads on where Ozai might be. But we won't wait more than a day or two." Mai shook her head, still crying.

"We have to talk about this," she said, wiping the tears from her face. "There has to be another way."

"Please," Zuko pleaded, suddenly exhausted. "I just had this argument with Katara. I can't-"

"You had this…what do you mean you had this argument with that…that-"

"Mai, I can't do this with you now." Zuko sat down on the couch and buried his face in his hands. "For the last time, there is _nothing _going on with me and Katara."

Mai stood fuming. Looking up once or twice, Zuko could see her struggling to check her emotions. Her face flushed bright red, and then went suddenly pale. She sat down stiffly on the couch next to Zuko after a while.

"I don't want you to go," she said at last. Zuko snorted.

"That seems to be the general consensus," he muttered, folding his arms. Then he turned back to Mai suddenly. "Come with us!"

"Excuse me?" Mai asked incredulously.

"Look, we're going to need all the help we can get. You're amazing with knives, and you're not terrible at tracking. There's plenty of room in Appa's saddle. You could –"

"No." Zuko almost didn't hear Mai's quiet reply. He looked at her in confusion.

"Mai," he started to say. Mai cut him off.

"I don't want to go." Mai stared sullenly at the floor, rebelliously ignoring the tears still falling from her eyes. Zuko turned away from her and nodded.

"I understand," he said after a moment.

"No you don't!" Mai snapped angrily. "You don't understand at all! I don't want to go. And I…I can't believe _you _do."

"Do you think I want this?" Zuko demanded. He was angry now, too. "Do you really think I want _any _of this? I'm going because I have to. Ozai is my responsibility, and he's dangerous." Zuko stood up and ran his hair agitatedly through his hair.

"He's your father, Zuko," Mai insisted. "Doesn't that mean anything?" Zuko looked back at Mai and shook his head.

"No." Mai stood and walked towards the door.

"Then we have nothing else to talk about," she said. "Good-bye, Zuko."

-:-:-:-:-:-

Aang stared out of the window at the courtyard below. There were servants making a pile of supplies. They marked things down on a list when they brought something new, and from the library, Aang kept tally of what was there as well. He counted twelve blankets, two tents, a few cases of medical supplies- he didn't really want to count those.

With a sigh, Aang turned away from the window and looked around at the scrolls and books around him. He and his friends had once found the answer to a problem in a library, he wondered if it could help this time. A scroll had told them about a rare eclipse that had disrupted the bending abilities of the fire benders. It hadn't gone as planned, and instead of defeating the Fire Lord, many of the troops Aang had fought along with had been captured. But maybe, Aang thought, if he had been more decisive, if hadn't been so scared of doing his duty as Avatar, maybe Ozai wouldn't be a threat and he wouldn't have to take his friends back into a war they had thought they left behind them.

"Aang?" Suki and Toph stood in the doorway of the library. When she saw the look on his face, Suki was immediately flooded with concern.

"Is everything alright?" she asked. Aang flushed and looked away from his friends.

"Yeah, everything's fine," he said.

"Liar," Toph scoffed. "Look, we all have a lot of packing to do, Twinkle Toes. If something's bothering you, you should either tell us and get it off of your chest, or swallow it and get your pack together." Suki favored Toph with a deadpan gaze.

"Has anyone ever told you you're the master of tact?" she asked sarcastically. Toph grinned cheekily and put her hands proudly on her hips.

"I'm the master of a lot of things," she replied. "I'll just add tact to the list. Besides, Twinkle Toes isn't offended, are you?" Aang flushed again and shook his head. Suki eyed him suspiciously, but let the matter go.

"You would tell us if something were bothering you, wouldn't you?" she asked him.

"Uh..yeah. Definitely," Aang said. Suki and Toph didn't look convinced. Aang forced a bright smile and walked past them out of the library. "I have to go pack my bag. It shouldn't take me too long. Don't worry about blankets, because Iroh's sending us with plenty. I have to go. See you two at dinner!"

-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko wandered around for nearly twenty minutes, and found himself at Sokka's room. His friend was in the middle of packing. Sokka looked up and nodded a greeting before turning back to his packing.

"Come in," he said. He pulled his boomerang from its sheath and examined the edge. "You look like you could use an ear."

"What?" Zuko asked, startled. Sokka put the boomerang back and sat on his bed so he could face Zuko.

"You look like someone just killed your favorite ostrich horse," Sokka said. "Is this about your- about Ozai?" Zuko hovered at the doorway for a moment, before he went and sat down on the high back chair in the corner.

"It's not about him," Zuko said with a sigh.

"Ah!" Sokka looked at Zuko archly. "I sense trouble of the soft and pretty smelling type." Zuko favored him with a confused look.

"What?" he asked again. Sokka rolled his eyes skyward.

"Girl problems, Zuko. You have girl problems." Sokka shook his head, feeling exasperated. "So, tell me what's on your mind?"

"What's with you and your sister and this talking thing?" Zuko asked, scowling. "It's like a disease with you two." Sokka shrugged.

"Blame Gram-Gram," he said. "Stop stalling. You must want to talk, or you wouldn't be here." Zuko wondered, not for the first time, at the similarities between the Water Tribe siblings. The major difference was that if Zuko chose not to talk, Sokka wouldn't press. Zuko toyed with changing the subject.

"Had fight with Mai," Zuko told Sokka.

"What about?"

"Three guesses. And the first two don't count." Sokka frowned, and folding his arms, he sat back against the pillows.

"You told her we were going after Ozai," he guessed. Zuko nodded.

"She doesn't want me to go." Sokka scoffed.

"First Katara, then Mai?" he asked, shaking his head. "Between the two of them, you'd get the idea that you were made of porcelain. Did you have to get Iroh to tell her to let you go, too?"

"He wouldn't have," Zuko told Sokka. "When Katara and I went to see him, Uncle got as close to snapping as he gets. He might have actually gotten angry if I dragged Mai to see him. Anyway, it wasn't just me going that we fought about."

"What else did you fight about?" Sokka asked. He got off of the bed and started packing again. Zuko shrugged.

"Something stupid." Sokka started to ask for more details, but another knock at the door interrupted him.

"Am I interrupting?" Suki asked, poking her head in. Sokka's face lit up as he stood up to greet her.  
"Not at all," Zuko answered. He stood up too. "I was just leaving."

"No, stay," Suki said. "It'll save me a trip later. We have less time to pack than we thought. A prisoner gave Iroh a lead. He heard some guards discussing moving another prisoner up north."

"So?" Sokka asked, confused. Zuko's face was set grimly.

"There's no prison up north," he told Sokka. "When is the soonest we can leave?"

"As soon as Appa's been provisioned," Suki said. "Two hours at most."

"Good," Zuko nodded approvingly. "We'll meet in the courtyard in an hour. I want us to be ready the second Appa's prepared." Sokka and Suki agreed and they split up to tell the others about the change in plans.

-:-:-:-:-:-

He didn't come after her.

The shades of the carriage had been drawn against the sun. Mai didn't like being in direct sunlight. Her skin was a little sensitive and it made her uncomfortable. Besides, everyone was always telling her that pale skin was the most desirable. And that she was tall and regal. A king's match.

He didn't come after her.

Mai lifted a shade and peeked out into the street. Maybe it was time to consider a new standard of beauty. Men seemed drawn to the foreigners coming into the Fire Nation. Maybe, Mai thought, she should see how she looked in the hanboks from Gao Ling, or try the beauty treatments from Ba Sing Se. Maybe, Mai considered further, she should try letting her skin get a little tan. Not much, just a bit. Then maybe…

He didn't come after her.

The light hurt her eyes and Mai let the shade back down. She wished Ty Lee was there, but her friend had rejoined the circus not long after the war. Ty Lee claimed that after so much tragedy the world needed a good time and she needed to go back to the world that made her feel so alive. She left Mai where she thought her friend would be happiest; in the Fire Nation Capital with her loving boyfriend. Ty Lee was certain an engagement wasn't too far in the future.

But he didn't come after her.

And Mai wasn't sure she wanted him to anymore.


End file.
